Below is a list of films about Haiti which I know about. The films that have ** after the title are films which are in my library. Any without the ** are NOT in my library and I'd love to get a copy if anyone knows where I could do it, or, better, if any out there could donate a copy, well, I'd love it!
What follows below is quite long. Anyone wishing a shorter version that deletes the reviews and only has three or four lines a film, just let me know and I can sent that out too.
Almost all of these films are avaialble on video. In most cases if I know WHERE to get the films I have incuded it.
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ANGEL HEART.
A mystery story which involves a great deal of New Orleans
Voodoo. Nothing directly to do with Haiti.
ART OF HAITI, THE.
1982, Mark Mamalakis.
Shows how Haiti attracted international attention and recognition
with a dynamic art movement created by unschooled painters.
Interviews with artists. 26 minutes.
My own view: The film is rather uninteresting, except as a history
of the art movement itself. It is slow moving. Not much connection
between Voodoo and art is really there.
Dist. by Haitian Arts Project
P.O. Box 57850
Chicago, IL 60657
$250.00
BITTER CANE.
1983, Haiti Films.
Illustrates the semi-feudal economic system in Haiti todays.
75 minutes.
BLACK DAWN. **
1978, Robin Lloyd and Doreen Kraft. Brilliantly colorful, animated
film using Haitian art to portray the revolution which made Haiti a
free country. 20 minutes.
Bob Corbett's comments:
"We got independence so long ago and we are still not free."
This quote taken from the uplifting, animated documentary
Black Dawn is one of the many important statements this film
explores for all those fortunate enough to see it.
The delightful story begins with the two classic
Haitian folk characters, Bouki and Ti Malice who are travelling
to the market along with their very stubborn mule. When the mule,
on its own accord, refuses to move another inch, the two men,
each at opposite ends, try to push or pull the animal in opposite
directions, hoping it would move. After several unsuccessful
attempts, they sit in the shade of a nearby mango tree and begin
to talk of the history of the Haitian people, beginning with the
merciless removal from their African homeland where "the
animals and the people lived happily."
Ti Malice continues, next describing the role of the lwa
(spirits) in the lives of the Haitian people. While in the middle
passage from Africa to Haiti, Erzuli, an Earth mother figure,
hovered over the ship singing while the passengers wept. And it
was Erzuli who wept at the sight of the young Haitian boys being
whipped by their white masters. Also, Ougan, the warrior spirit,
came to give the slaves determination to fight with Toussaint
Louverture. As one Toussaint said when he was being carried
away to France, "In capturing me, you are only cutting the trunk
of the tree of liberty, but it will flourish again for its roots are strong
and deep."
Through their own story Bouki and Ti Malice see the importance
of uniting against the forces which have oppressed the Haitian
people for so long: slavery, poverty, injustice. The strong desire
and hope for a united and growing country is also seen through
the conversation of these two comical characters. Despite the
cruelty and hatred of the Haitian people throughout the centuries,
a seed for a better way of life still exists, and it is the combined
strength of every Haitian which will allow it to grow and to
flourish. The Haitians hold on to this belief and it is this belief
that keeps many of them alive in the hardest of times.
Black Dawn is a truly wonderful film which is clear enough
for a child to understand, narrated well enough for an adult to
be involved in the story, and animated beautifully so that every-
one of all ages is entertained. This is definitly a film anyone
who wants to be educated about Haiti in an entertaining way
should watch.
BLACK SUGAR. 1989, Michael Regnier. Study of the batays,
the cane cutting camps for Haitians in the Dominican Republic.
Indiana University Audio Visual Center
Bloomington, IN 47405-5901
Sale: $200.00 Rent: $50.00
58 minutes, color.
Bob Corbett's comments:
This is purportedly an insiders view of the bateys (worker camps
for Haitians) inside the Dominican Republic, most of which are
run by the Dominican Republic State Sugar Council.
The footage tries to reveal the squalor, disease, hunger,
hopelessness and anger of the Haitian workers, most of whom
were either lured to the Dominican Republic with false promises,
or simply captured at taken by force.
Once the workers are on the plantations they have virtually
no hope. Their papers, if they ever had any, are confiscated and
destroyed. The surrounding areas are simply miles and miles of
cane fields--escape is extremely difficult and dangerous. They
live under conditions which are in many senses worse than those of
their ancestors under French slavery.
The film proceeds by means of interviews, background
information and footage of the camps and cane cutting work.
However, the film is not very well shot. Often the black faces of the
workers are invisible in the overexposed shots taken in the sun.
Further, much footage is simply facial close ups of those
being interviewed. The film would have been much improved a
greater variety of footage were used with voice/interviews going
on over the scenes being shown. Nonetheless, one learns a
great deal about the situation of the Haitian cutters in the
Dominican Republic, and the film evokes a feeling and sense
of the sadness, hopelessness and intolerableness of their life
situation.
This film would be useful for groups of all ages, and even
those who are informed concerning the facts of this situation
will find the moving immediacy of the filmed reality to bring a
useful emotive sense to one's knowledge.
This film was made by The National Film Board of Canada
working in conjunction with the Indiana University Audio-Visual
Center.
COMEDIANS, THE. ** 1967, Peter Glenville.
Based on Graham Greene's novel of life under Papa Doc.
Stars Richard Burton, Liz Taylor, Cicily B. Tyson, James Earl
Jones, Alec Guiness and Peter Ustinov.
160 minutes.
This film has an all star cast, but Burton and Taylor are
at their worst and it is very slow.
DEATH OF THE DREAM. ** Jonathan Demme's follow up film to
the film discussed next. It is in the same high quality of both
form and content of all Jonathan's work, though a significant
portion of the footage is repeat footage from Dreams of
Democracy.
DREAMS OF DEMOCRACY. ** 1988, Jonathan Demme.
Filmed around the first anniversary of Duvalier's overthrow,
Demme captures the hope of the moment.
Extraordinary music. 52 minutes.
Review from The New York Sunday Times
In early 1987, the people of Haiti toppled the corrupt
dictatorship of "Baby Doc" Duvalier. There has now been a
referendum on a new constitution and elections are promised.
One of the USA's most outstanding feature film directors,
Jonathan Demme--whose SOMETHING WILD has just
been acclaimed in its UK release--co-operated with
experienced British TV current affairs director Jo Menell
for this highly original impressionistic report on the
Caribbean island, as its six million inhabitants celebrated
the first anniversary of the overthrow of the Duvalier regime
on 7 February 1987.
Throughout the programme, the common people of Haiti
convey their desire for greater democracy and the wide-
spread feeling that the uprooting of the old order has not
finished--this year's referendum on the constitution offered
many of them their first opportunity to vote in a lifetime of
corrupt dictators, most recently the Duvaliers, Papa Doc
and his son Baby Doc and their lawless enforces, the Ton
Tons Macoutes. But while outlining the country's economic
problems--80% of the people are unemployed, 87% have
no access to drinkable water and the average daily income
is around L1.50--the programme is far from a conventional
current affairs documentary. There is no commentary, and
the programme is crammed with popular music and current
songs that reflect the way in which Haiti's distinctive culture--
the most African of the Caribbean islands--meets the political
realities of this struggling, unique country. The music reflects
the central importance of Voodoo, which some of its expo-
nents claim has been wrongly criticised as something strange
and sinister. And it also reflects the importance of radio in a
country where--with 85% illiteracy--it is the main medium of
public information.
The programme is as informative as it is entertaining, for
Demme's uninhibited use of music carries much of the
weight of the expression of popular political hopes. After
writing, producing and directing films with Roger Corman,
Demme became best known for CITIZENS BAND (1976)
and MELVIN AND HOWARD (1980), and demonstrated a
particular skill with popular music in his unusual perfor-
mance with the Talking Heads band, STOP MAKING
SENSE in 1984, and in his latest feature, SOMETHING
WILD.
DIVINE HORSEMEN, THE. ** 1951, Maya Deren.
Classic film on Haitian Voodoo and possession.
60 minutes.
Bob Corbett comments:
This black and white film, from footage shot in the late 1940s
and early 1950s is simply wonderful. It focuses on possession,
but it works thorough the major spirits of Voodoo. A must
for anyone who wants to see footage of Haitian Voodoo.
DUVALIER INTERVIEW. **
1986, 20/20 Program, with Barbara Walters interviewing
Jean-Claude and Michele Duvalier. Astonishing comments
by the Duvaliers. 40 minutes.
FRANCOIS DUVALIER...A VIE. 1968, Swiss television.
A rare interview with Papa Doc, who explains his theories
and strategies for Haiti. French, no subtitiles. 30 minutes.
GRANDE SALINE. ** 1985, The National Film Board of Canada.
A documentary about an OXFAM-Quebec desalination project.
26 minutes.
(See information on Black Sugar. This film is also
distributed by Indiana University.)
Sale: $160.00 Rent: $30.00
26 minutes, color.
Grande Saline is a village on the sea near where the
Artibonite River empties into the Gulf of Gonave. This
film documents a small desalination project supported
by OXFAM- Quebec from its conception until a point
where it is nearly finished, and refreshingly for this sort
of documentary, not quite successfully. The middling
success of the project lends a credibility to the film.
Grande Saline is also made The National Film Board of
Canada and suffers some of the same filming defects which
plague Black Sugar. The black faces of people being
interviewed are often only black sillohettes in the bright
sun of Haiti. One would think an organization of its stature
would have camera people who could film black people!
On the other hand this film is much more colorfully and
actively filmed than Black Sugar. Rather than long moments
of filming people being interviewed, the camera roams
around the village giving up a great sense of the life in
small town Haiti. While interviews or explanations are
given in the voice, the camera takes us to children at play,
dancing women at a festival, a market scene and other daily
activities. Another refreshing aspect of the film is that Creole
interviews are often recorded for 10-15 seconds before
translations begin, giving one a nice ring of this beautiful
Haitian language and rhythms before the English cuts in.
This documentary is useful for those involved in development
work in Haiti. It demonstrates how one can work with Haitian
people, giving them an important leadership in doing their own
development. At the same time it helps the foreign developers
develop a sense of patience and willingness to adapt to local
conditions and environments.
HAITI. 1938, Rudy Burckhardt.
Rare, early footage of everyday life in Port-au-Prince, interwoven
into an elegant experimental B/W film.
16 minutes.
HAITI, A FORGOTTEN NATION. ** By the Lutheran World Federation.
An overview of Haiti with concentration on liberating development
work.
30 minutes.
Produced by the Lutheran World Federation
30 min., color
Bob Corbett's comments:
For several years I have wanted PEOPLE TO PEOPLE to have a
film like this one tries to be. There is a need for an overview film
for the uninitiated which first presents Haiti, her reality and her
need, then goes on to show how a volunteer organization might
operate in Haiti.
This is exactly the format of the Lutheran World Federation film,
and some parts of the task they do quite well. Much of the filming
is quite nice: bright colors, interesting scenes done to
a voice-over which gives some background on the history and
current status of the nation.
Unfortunately this section tries to do too much and ends up
being a very choppy treatment of themes. At the same time it
does to little, since the text is slow and drags on.
After the overview the film begins to focus on the work of the
Luthern World Federation in Haiti, and it is impressive, not only
in the work itself, but in the approach--a liberating development
which tries to help Haitians become free from the need for aid.
This is primarily a fund-raising film and would best be used
by those who would like to motivate its audience to support
the work of the Lutheran World Federation, or work like it.
HAITIAN SONG. ** 1982, Karen Kramer.
A lyrical portrait of daily life in a small community, interwoven
with songs and informative commentary. 50 minutes.
A Review by Brent Dean Robbins and Bob Corbett
"This film is a portrait of daily life in a small Haitian
village," begins Karen Kramer's Haitian Song, "A way of life
which is based upon a dependence on the land."
Kramer's Haitian Song, a slow-moving yet graceful film,
focuses on the all-encompassing agricultural lifestyle of a
typical rural Haitian village; a place where land is passed
down generation after generation, the soil itself a vital
element in the family legacy.
From the beginning, the film creates a sombre mood, the
camera following a woman delicately balancing a pot of water
on her head. From scenes where farmers, the sun glistening
off of their wet, muscular backs, sow the land with crude
gardening tools, to the joyous outbursts where song and dance
provide relief from the pain of labor, one can't help feeling a
strange kinship with these people, so unlike our American
selves, born and bred in the technological age. In Haiti, it
seems, time has stood still. "The way we work is with our
hands," explains one man, "We don't have money to buy
machines to do it."
There's no mistaking a sense of angry pride in his voice,
and yet Haiti's soil grows less fertile with each passing year.
It is becoming more and more difficult for the people to live
off of the land, and, for this reason, many Haitians are forced
to leave their homes in order to survive.
Each segment of the film focuses on a different aspect of
a typical day in Haitian life, but, in all its modesty, the film
makes a much deeper and resonant impact. Kramer captures
the fall from grace of the beautiful lands of Haiti, its once rich
soil now depleted, and a people struggling to keep alive a
way of life from which they know none other.
Haitian Song, below the surface of its dark, earthy tones,
depicts an ancient struggle between man and nature, culture
and change, and, most importantly, the triumphant faith of a
people in their own heroic will power to continue in the face
of an unknown future.
HAITI, JE M'SOUVIENS. 1983, Patrice Bolte.
Collage of visual images set to haunting Haitian music.
Contrasts real life and art in order to create a mosaic of
Haiti life. 12 minutes.
HAITI QUEBEC. 1986,Tahani Rached.
A look at the racism facing Haitians in Quebec.
57 minutes.
HAITI: THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES. ** 1990, Pax Christi, USA.
An introductory film for those who know little about Haiti. The
film tries to move people for concern for political and social
injustice.
30 minutes.
From:
Pax Christi USA
National Catholic Peace Movement
348 East Tenth Street
Erie, PA 16503
(814) 453-4955
Purchase: $30.00 Rental: $15.00
30 minute, color.
This video was filmed during September, 1989 when Pax
Christi sent a delegation to Haiti. It is a beginners film, one
that unabashedly tries to move the viewer to concern for and
action on Haiti's behalf. There is a need for this sort of film to
introduce people Haiti who know little or nothing of her. The
film has a job to do. It does not concentrate on or much
mention the attractive features of Haiti. It sets out to show
and analyze Haiti's misery. This it does.
There is interesting footage of Haiti's poverty, both rural and
urban in this video, yet, despite the intent, it lacks vibrancy.
There is some nice Haitian music sofly in the background,
but the narration is slow and tends to drag at times.
There is a great need for such a film. Few people know much
about Haiti. There are often opportunities to visit schools or
church groups to begin to develop awareness of Haiti. I've long
dreamed of finding or making such a film for PEOPLE TO
PEOPLE'S use.
This film is useful for that purpose, but still not my
ideal. I was constantly aware those in the film were white
people getting a quick overview of Haiti's poverty, history and
politics while on an initial visit. PEOPLE TO PEOPLE also
takes many many people for their first visits to Haiti. It is a
powerfulexperience. Most people come reeling away,
shocked, disturbed, frustrated by the misery in which so
many millions live. Yet there is a danger in rushing from
such peak emotional experiences to pronouncements
about this complex and long-suffering land.
From the opening few sentences when we are misinformed
that Haiti achieved her independence in 1840, to the constant
intrusion of the foreign white people through out the film, I
sensed the limits. In one rather unfortunate text, just as this
group of white folks are getting into their fancy private bus,
the narrator tells us they are here to see Haiti the way the
people see it. Riding around in a rented vehicle is certainly
not the perspective of the common folk.
The film is certainly sincere. There is a concentration on
showing us the misery of Haiti, and this is done well.
However, the whole film is marred by technical difficulties--
filming out of the bus window, dragging text etc.
Nonetheless this film is a good place to begin. The video
seems to be for those who want to get some sense of
modern Haiti, and, especially to focus on the role of Roman
Catholicism and the United States in that reality. Within
these limits it is a useful film for those who've never been
to Haiti, and those whose primary contacts with Haiti have
been the lurid and sensationalist news accounts of Haiti's
latest governmental outrage. The price of purchase--$30.00
is ample evidence that Pax Christi is interested in educating
people about its view of Haiti and not out to make profits on
the film. That's a reassuring sign!
I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE. ** 1943.
Hollywood feature film. A terrible horror film, which
presents a simply silly view of Haitian Voodoo and zombies.
LEGACY OF THE SPIRITS. ** 1985, Karen Kramer.
An in-depth study of Voodoo. 52 minutes.
Reviewed by Bridget Hengen, Webster University student.
Karen Kramer's fifty-two minute documentary The Legacy of
the Spirits is a fascinating and thorough view of Haitian Voodoo,
particularily its transformation from Haiti to Brooklyn, New York.
In this film Kramer explores in great depth the personalities and
symbols of the spirits (lwa), traditions within a Voodoo ceremony,
the importance of keeping the Voodoo religion and its heritige
within the family, and Voodoo's culturally rich background.
A woman Kramer interviews states that "religion involves
a complex belief system and rituals in association with family
gods." These gods, which were brought with the slaves from
Africa include, Legba, who controls the gates to the spirit world,
Dumballah the snake, Erzulie, the beautiful woman who weeps
at the thought of human's present condition and the destruction
of the world, and Ghede, the crude but lovable baron of death.
Each spirit is different, with different symbols, and each must
be served accordingly. Kramer does an excellent job of dis-
playing the preparation for the ceremonies, possession by the
spirits, traditional sacrifices, and initiation of new members.
Through her film, Kramer stresses that Voodoo is a family
religion. This is extremely interesting in The Legacy of the
Spirits wherein Haitian families are attempting to bring up
their children in a completely different culture while en-
culturating in them an appreciation of and devotion to their
Haitian culture and religion. One woman says "...That's the
way our culture survives -- the way our tradition continues...
They have to keep the story alive. They have to know their
roots."
Karan Kramer explores the adaptation of a new culture and
the continuation of old traditions by revealing a cab driver, a
housewife, and a chemistry teacher, among others, who continue
their Voodoo practices and beliefs in the United States. The
chemistry teacher explains: "Both worlds are real to me".
Kramer also shows a white woman who says "We're not all
Haitian, but in the eyes of the lwa that doesn't matter because
we are all one."
Kramer also explores past and present oppression and
misconception of the Voodoo religion; from early Haiti when
the ears of Voodoo practicing Haitians were cut off for
punishment, to present times when headlines like "My Life
As a Zombie Slave" are not uncommon. As to Voodoo dolls,
one man says "I wish there were Voodoo dolls sometimes,
but I've never seen one. It must be Hollywood."
Kramer shows another side of this religion; a personal side
from the view of the participant, not just the observer. This allows
misconceptions such as those listed above less glorified than they
would be had we not been exposed to the realism which Kramer
offers/ to us.
Karen Kramer does outstanding work in The Legacy of the
Spirits. It is entertaining and extremely educational. I belive if
everyone had a chance to watch this film, the outlandish untruths
of Voodoo would not exist. She shows us that Voodoo is more
than a religion; it is a way of life. As one woman says "The impact
it has had on my life is so grand ... I can't find a word to tell
you" .
One might also note the incredible similarity of the themes in
Kramer's film and of the book MAMA LOLA. We used MAMA
LOLA as a text in our course in Haitian Voodoo this semester,
and were surprised at the similarities of the book and this film.
They'd make nice companion pieces.
LYDIA BAILEY.
Hollywood feature film. Story of a woman caught in the
Haitian Revolution. Based on a novel of the same name
by Kenneth Roberts.
MAJOR LEAGUE. Hollywood feature film.
MICHELE. ** 1986, 60 Minutes Program. A portrait of Michele
Duvalier and her role in hastening the overthrow of her
husband.
About 30 minutes.
NORTH-SOUTH MONOLOGUE. 1982, Jacques Godbout. A sharp
analysis of the inequalities of Haiti's economic and industrial
relationship with the U.S. and Canada. 57 minutes.
NOUS LA. 1988, Tahani Rached. Chronicles the events leading
up to the elections of Nov. 1987. French, no subtitles.
30 minutes.
OTHER HAITI, THE. **
Cine Soleil film by David Korb.
Approx. 52 min.
Cine Soleil, 648 Broadway # 502, Ny, NY, 10012
phone (212) 505-1731 fax: (212) 533-7173
In recommending the film to me, Leslie Desmangles wrote:
David Korb's excellent film is entitled "The Other Haiti".
It deals strictly with the formation and operation of grassroots
peasant movements in Haiti. As you know these movements
dealt with the agricultural use of peasant land, agricultural
reforms, and a whole set of social and political issues that
were striclty opposed by the Haitian elite, and by the United
States as well. They operated openly during the years in
which "the other Aristide" was president of Haiti, and gained
his support. The popular support that these groups earned
during those years might have been reponsible inpart for his
downfall.
Bob Corbett's comments:
Powerful and informative film centering on the MPP,
Movement Peyesan Papaye, a ti legliz group just to the
east of Hinche. The film covers ti legliz meetings, larger
regional meetings, co-operative farm work, and provides
a general sense of the popular movement in Haiti. It is
especially important since it demonstrates that the popular
movement in Haiti is much bigger that the leadership of
Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
The film follows the peasant movement up until mid-1992.
PLAINE DU NORD. Jean-Francois Chalut.
The annual Voodoo ceremony in northern Haiti. A look at
the ritual mud bathing. French with no subtitles.
30 minutes.
RA-RA, A HAITIAN FESTIVAL. 1978, Gail Pellet.
Depicts the annual Ra-Ra festival. 18 minutes.
SAINT-SOLEIL PROJECT. 1976, Marilyn Rifkin.
Portrays a small rural community that uses various art forms
as vehicles for development.
18 minutes.
SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW, THE. ** 1990.
Horror film loosely based on Wade Davis' book of the same
title. Extremly inaccurate portrait of Haiti and Voodoo.
About 180 minutes.
SEVENTH SIGN, THE. Hollywood feature film.
SOUL OF THE ISLANDS. 1988, Alain d'Aix. A poetic docu-drama.
Singer Toto Bissainthe recounts Haiti's past in song.
30 minutes.
TAXI SANS DETOUR. 1988, Mireille Landry and Gary Beitel.
Follows several Haitian taxi drivers in Montreal as they deal
with racism.
French, no subtitles. 57 minutes.
TO SERVE THE GODS. ** 1982, Karen Kramer and Ira Lowenthal.
A peasant family honors its ancestors in a Voodoo service.
30 minutes.
VOODOO AND THE CHURCH IN HAITI. 1989.
A weak attempt to portray the interrelationship between
Voodoo and Roman Catholicism. The film does root
Voodoo in the history of the country and emphasizes its
origins in the lives of the maroons, the runaway slaves.
The history is good, and we learn of the role of Voodoo
in the revolution.
But where is Voodoo today, and what is its connection to
the Roman Catholic Church in Haiti? At this point the film
is silent.
The filming is often choppy, purposely so, looking ever so
like a Charlie Chaplin movie. I found this treatment of Voodoo
dance quite disturbing. My images of Voodoo dance, from a
great deal of personal experience, is of a slow moving, grace-
fulness which conveys a sense of the intensely sensual, but
sacred as well. The quick moving, choppy dancing of the video
destroy the grace and beauty of the dancing.