Documentary Educational Resources - Geography / Caribbean / Haiti / All Films

Haitian Song

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 13:26:00 GMT

Haitian Song is a lyrical portrait of life in a small village in rural Haiti. The film focuses on the "rituals" which compose the texture of everyday life: getting water from the river; making rope by hand from sisal; cooking rice and beans in an outdoor kitchen; planting and harvesting. Through intimate and detailed scenes, the film follows Gustav and Zilmen, a man and a woman, through the cycle of their day and follows the larger community through the cycles of the week: the market on Tuesday; the cockfight on Saturday; the dance on Sunday. Narrated entirely in Creole (with English subtitles) by Haitian peasants and interwoven throughout with haunting songs, the film evokes a mood and feeling of rural village life. It is highly visual, as well as informative and educational.

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Legacy of the Spirits

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 06:41:00 GMT

Legacy of the Spirits
Buy Now: $320.00

For centuries, the religion of Vodou (commonly called "voodoo" by outsiders) has been thought of as sticking pins in dolls or witchcraft. It has been kept underground and practiced in secret, giving way to much misunderstanding and sensationalism. This documentary - the first of its kind - shows how Vodou is a valid and serious belief system. The film interweaves exciting Vodou ceremonies, important scholarly information, compelling music, and images of colorful ritual objects, to show the beauty behind what has been one of the world's most misunderstood religions.

Legacy of the Spirits traces the religion from Africa to Haiti to New York City. It explains the theology of the religion, the meaning of the rituals, the pantheon of spirits, possession, the sacred drawings (called ve-ve), the Catholic influence, the history of persecution and more. This is all explained by priests and priestesses who practice Vodou and who give the film the quality of being both informative, yet personal.

Filmed entirely in the Caribbean communities in New York City, participants speak of what the religion means to them and their families, how the spirits have helped them, and why they continue to practice these ancient traditions today. Since the religion has always been kept underground (the reasons why are explained in the film), this is the first time the practitioners have spoken about it openly on camera.

SELECTED SCREENINGS & AWARDS

Festival dei Popoli, Florence, Italy

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Of Men And Gods

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 13:51:00 GMT

Of Men And Gods
Buy Now: $320.00

A frank look at a largely unexplored area, Of Men And Gods examines the daily existence of several Haitian men who are openly gay.

Prevalent, yet still taboo, homosexuality and gay culture are allowed to flourish within the context of Haiti's Vodou religion. As "children of the gods," the men find an explanation for homosexuality as well as divine protection. They also find an outlet for theatrical expression through exhilarating performances in which they embody the gods.

Meanwhile, the AIDS epidemic looms as a continual threat and adds a disquieting degree of nihilism to their relatively optimistic attitudes toward life and happiness in Port-au-Prince.

The filmmaker, Anne Lescot, is an anthropologist who has studied Haitian Vodou for 10 years. Laurence Magloire has been working in the field of television for 10 years.

SELECTED SCREENINGS & AWARDS

Parfums Vodou, Forum for Visual Anthropology, Switzerland, 2008

Isidore Award, Collectif HomoEdu & Festival Influences Caraïbes, Paris, 2007

Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Greece, 2005

5th Czech Gay and Lesbian Film Festival MEZIPATRA 2004

Jakarta Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Indonesia, 2004

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Poto Mitan

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 10:58:00 GMT

Poto Mitan
Buy Now: $320.00

Told through the compelling lives of five courageous Haitian women workers, Poto Mitan gives the global economy a human face. Each woman's personal story explains neoliberal globalization, how it is gendered, and how it impacts Haiti. And while Poto Mitan offers in-depth understanding of Haiti, its focus on women's subjugation, worker exploitation, poverty, and resistance makes it clear that these are global struggles.

Marie-Jeanne details her dual struggles as a woman and worker: employed in a garment factory, she toils under miserable conditions to give her children the schooling she was denied because of education's high costs and gender discrimination. Living and braving death in Cité Soleil, Solange spells out how Haiti's current violence stems from a long-brewing economic crisis and the global apparel industry's inherent instability. Frustrated with male-dominated unions, Frisline joined a woman's organization. She offers a gendered and class analysis of Haiti's contemporary situation. Working for thirty years, Thérèse brings a perspective that is historical and comparative. Her ailments also highlight the critical state of public health. Pushed off her land by foreign agricultural policies, Hélène leads a new grassroots campaign against violence, encouraging women to defend themselves. These five brave women demonstrate that despite monumental obstacles in a poor country like Haiti, collective action makes change possible.

Initiated by the women themselves, Poto Mitan aims to inspire solidarity activism to end injustice in the global economy. Our struggles have a common thread. Fighting for justice: for women, workers, or Haiti can't help but bring about our own liberation.

“Now as never before, Poto Mitan is needed in the classroom... Raw but not crude, stark yet not simplistic, this film illustrates how, even prior to the earthquake, global and national factors impact the everyday lives of low-income Haitian women, intensifying their struggle against poverty... The breadth and depth of Poto Mitan make it suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students.”
— Fauzia Erfan Ahmed, Miami University, Teaching Sociology

“A moving and stirring film, showing Haitian women speaking for themselves. A must see.”
— Edwidge Danticat

“For many years now I've been telling people that fanm se poto mitan tout sosyete (women are the central pillars of society). This wonderful film is definitely a testimony of the courage, resilience and determination of Haitian women. Needless to say that I'm very thrilled! I encourage everyone to support this great endeavour!”
— Marleine Bastien, MSW, LCSW, Founder/Executive Director, FANM (Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami)

“Poto Mitan will be a valuable tool. Indeed, the value of the film for advocacy and education results not just from the quality of the story telling but also from the quality of the film itself. People will want to see this film, and be open to demanding change from the policymakers.”
— Quixote Center

“The great strength of this film is in allowing the five women... to speak from their hearts at length, without moralizing from a narrator. The film should be in all university libraries for classroom use. ”
— Contemporary Sociology, May 2010, Vol 39, No 3

SELECTED SCREENINGS & AWARDS

Indie Spec Best Documentary Award, Boston International Film Festival, 2009

Nominated for Social Justice Award, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, 2009

Social Justice Film Festival, Seattle, WA, 2009

Reel Work Film Festival, CA, 2009

M.A.L.I. Women's Film & Performance Arts Festival, Austin, TX, 2009

New Filmmakers at Anthology Film Archives, New York, 2009

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Send in the Clowns

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 07:46:00 GMT

Send in the Clowns
Buy Now: $320.00

Send in the Clowns follows performers from the organization Clowns Without Borders. Their mission is to travel to areas of crisis and relieve stress and suffering through laughter. The clowns are volunteers, armed with a unique set of skills and an earnest desire to change the world. But is their work any different from all of the other agenda-driven aid organizations?

In 2009 the clowns go to Haiti, a country known as the poorest in the Western Hemisphere with the highest number of NGOs per capita in the world. They have a grueling schedule of three or more shows a day in schools, orphanages and slums. While there is a positive response to their work, the clowns are conflicted by the overwhelming needs of the Haitian people and their effectiveness in a place saturated, yet sustained by international intervention.

On January 12th, 2010 Haiti is hit by a devastating earthquake. An outpouring of aid floods the country in an attempt to address the immediate demands of food and housing. But in the wake of such extreme devastation, what is the point of sending clowns? The clowns decide to shift their focus and return to Haiti in September 2010 to teach workshops to young adults in the hope of having a more lasting impact. The workshop participants embrace the clown activities but share the challenges of their daily lives.

One year later, we find a country still struggling with basic necessities and it's unclear where all the pledged funds have gone. The Haitian workshop participants reflect on their lives in the past year and have a strong reaction to the aid they have received. So how do the clowns measure up amidst all of the other efforts? Send in the Clowns begins as a film about artists with good intentions but slowly reveals Haiti's crippling and conflicted relationship with an arguably more absurd global aid industry.

“Send in the Clowns is less a story of corruption and ill-will than of structural failures with implications far beyond the Haitian case. The film is beautifully shot and constructed, able to hold the attention of undergraduates, grad students, and jaded development professionals alike. It is suitable for use in undergraduate and graduate courses on international development, international organizations, policy planning, cultural studies and anthropology, as well as courses on the Caribbean. It could also be useful in courses on international public health and a valuable training tool for UN agencies and NGOs.”
— David A. Feingold, Ph.D., Director, Ophidian Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand

“As someone who has had the privilege to live and work in post earthquake Haiti for 5 years, I was relieved at the honest approach Send in the Clowns has taken to educate its viewers on the real experience of both Haitians and relief workers. The film opens doors for an honest dialog about the relief efforts in Haiti, and is truly a tool for educational purposes. Send in the Clowns is one of the best films I have seen that explains the dilemma of charitable aid and the human spirit. ”
—Julie Colombino, Founder, Rebuild Globally

SELECTED SCREENINGS & AWARDS

Screening at United Nations, CINE-ONU program, Brussels, 2015

Rising 15, Coventry Peace Forum, UK, 2015

Awareness Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2015

Socially Relevant Film Festival, New York, 2014

Global Peace Festival, Florida, 2014

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To Serve the Gods

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 08:57:00 GMT

To Serve the Gods
Buy Now: $295.00

To Serve the Gods is about the beliefs, rituals, and performances of a week-long ceremony given by a Haitian family in honor of its ancestral spirits. We are told at the outset of the film that this sevis loua only occurs every twenty to thirty years.

This particular service takes place in a rural community in southern Haiti, on family land, where relatives have gathered to propitiate gods inherited by their ancestors. The celebration of one's birthright and obligations involves drumming, song, dance, possession, animal sacrifice and sharing of food with the gods and with friends, family, and neighbors.

Filmmaker Karen Kramer first attended Voudou ceremonies in Haiti in 1971 and has been a student of Vodou for decades since. Her film is based on the ethnographic research of anthropologist Ira Lowenthal and his paper, Ritual Performances and Religious Experience: A Service for the Gods in Southern Haiti.

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Bound by Haiti

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:36:00 GMT

Bound by Haiti
Buy Now: $320.00

Bound by Haiti is the story of Aaron Jackson and John Dieubon - two young international activists forced to deal with the tragedy of the Haiti earthquake first-hand. Raised on a wealthy resort, Aaron has dedicated his life to eradicating intestinal parasites in Haiti; born and orphaned in Port-au-Prince, John's mission is to inspire a new generation of Haitian children.

Born into completely different worlds, these two men joined together to transform the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. From Hollywood fundraisers to the most desperate Haitian villages, they hope to build change from the ground-up. As Aaron tries to adjust his personality to the high-stakes world of fundraising, John works on the ground with villagers to change a country's mentality.

When the earthquake of January 12, 2010 strikes, they must confront the biggest challenge of their lives. Driving into the streets of Port-au-Prince, John is forced to haul the dead bodies of his friends and countrymen. Later, he is left to pick up the pieces of a broken country. Armed with his digital camera, he took pictures across the city before the arrival of any news agency. In the United States, Aaron is forced to deal with the organizational chaos. Frantically trying to call John, he searched in vain to find a way to travel to Haiti. Eventually finding his way, he returned to find the collapsed buildings and millions of homeless in the streets. And he returned to find John - his optimistic vision challenged, his psyche damaged.

Featuring rare footage from immediately following the earthquake, Bound by Haiti follows these unlikely friends on a journey for change before and after one of the most devastating international events of our time. In the end, the film is not the story of poverty, but of possibility.

Festival Highlights

National Black Theatre Festival, 2011

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, 2011

Special screening sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Washington, DC, 2011

Astoria/LIC International Film Festival, 2011

Tulsa International Film Festival, 2011

DocUtah, 2011

Central Florida Film Festival, 2011

Boston International Film Festival, 2011

Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, 2010

Best Documentary Nominee, New Hampshire Film Festival, 2010

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