Kind of colony in the film "Papillon"

PENAL

Think of a harsh settlement where prisoners were sent in French Guiana.

The clue refers to the 1973 film Papillon, which is set in a harsh French Guiana prison colony. The word "penal" means relating to punishment, fitting the movie’s theme of incarceration. It’s a straightforward definition—no wordplay—just a direct nod to the type of colony depicted. If you know the film, the answer clicks immediately.