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Archive for the ‘Film’ Category
11.07.11
HCX|Haiti Film Fest
Friday, November 18, 2011
Opening Night Reception & Fundraiser, Brooklyn Museum, 6 to 10pm
Performance by Orchestre Septentrional; followed by a screening of “When the Drum is Beating” by Whitney Dow
Saturday, November 19, 2011 – Noon to 9 pm, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, Spike Lee Screening Room, Dekalb Ave. & Hudson Street Entrance
Ciné Institute (Founder David Belle): various short films, commercials and music videos screening throughout the day.
Ciné Institute provides Haitian youth with film education and edutainment, technical training, and media related micro enterprise opportunities.
Noon – 1:30 pm
Manno Charlemagne/Konviksyon (2010, 59 Minutes, Kreyol Not Subtitled) by Frantz Voltaire
A documentary about the life and musical influences of Haitian musician and song writer, Emmanuel Charlemagne.
Followed by a discussion with Frantz Voltaire
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1:45 – 4:00 pm
Haiti One Day: One Destiny (2011, 21 Minutes, Kreyol and French with English Subtitles) by Michèle Stephenson
In the aftermath of Port-au-Prince’s January 12, 2010 earthquake, Haitian-American documentary filmmaker, Michèle Stephenson, traveled to Haiti for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting National Black Programming Consortium to document stories not yet heard.
Une Etrange Cathédrale dans la Graisse des Ténèbres (2011, 78 Minutes, French with English Subtitles) by Charles Najman
The film evokes the devastating effects of the earthquake that struck the Haitian capital on January 12, 2010, through the words of Haiti’s greatest poet Frankétienne and his premonitory play Le Piège (The Trap).
Followed by a Discussion with Michele Stephenson & Charles Najman
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4:15 – 6:00 pm
Moloch Tropical (2009, 107 Minutes, Kreyol and French with English Subtitles) by Raoul Peck
In a fortress perched on the top of a mountain, a democratically elected « President » and his closest collaborators are getting ready for a state celebration.
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6:30 – 8:30 pm
Amours de Zombie (2011, 90 Minutes, Kreyol and French with English Subtitles) by Arnold Antonin
A zombie who has just escaped tells the press about the love that he feels for a woman. A female reporter follows closely the story. We discover through her reporting how a group of politicians has decided to exploit the zombie’s popularity.
Followed by a discussion with Arnold Antonin
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Sunday, November 20, 2011 – Noon to 9 pm, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, Spike Lee Screening Room, Dekalb Ave. & Hudson Street Entrance
Ciné Institute (Founder David Belle): various short films, commercials and music videos screening throughout the day.
Ciné Institute provides Haitian youth with film education and edutainment, technical training, and media related micro enterprise opportunities.
Noon – 1:15 pm
Mario Benjamin (2008, 53 Minutes, Kreyol/French with English Subtitles) by Irene Lichtenstein
Around an exhibition which took place in Port-au-Prince in June 2008, Mario Benjamin, this charismatic man shares his thoughts with us, on his work, the art and the difficulty in being an artist in a Third World country.
Gospel of the Creole Pig (2004, 18 Minutes, Kreyol/French with English Subtitles) by Michelange Quay
Haiti has been exposed to the menace of invaders since the Era of Exploration. The pig poetically speaks about historical and present Haiti, the first republic of black people that still suffers extreme poverty.
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1:15 – 2:45 pm
Children of Haiti (2010, 54 Minutes, Kreyol/French with English Subtitles) by Alexandria Hammond, co-produced and translated by Regine Zamor
Following the day-to-day lives of three teenage street boys in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, CHILDREN OF HAITI provides an intimate view of the country-wide orphan epidemic.
Followed by a discussion with Alexandria Hammond
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3:00 – 5: 00 pm
Kaleb (2011, 76 Minutes, English); Presenting a Sneak Peek of this new film! by Kervans Barthelemy
One day Jacque sees his son Kaleb in a local newspaper accused of raping a young girl. The police search for Kaleb and his friends while the incident sparks friction within the family, demanding Jacque to respond to his wife’s ultimatum: Find Kaleb or lose the rest of his family.
Followed by a discussion with Kervans Barthelemy & Atibon Nazaire
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5:15 – 6:15 pm
Black in Latin America (2011, 55 Minutes) – Episode One: Haiti & the Dominican Republic: An Island Divided by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
In Haiti, Professor Gates tells the story of the birth of the first-ever black republic, and finds out how the slaves’ hard fought liberation over Napoleon Bonaparte’s French Empire became a double-edged sword.
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6:30 – 8:00 pm
Jean Gentil (2010, 84 Minutes, Spanish/Kreyol with English Subtitles) by Laura A. Guzmán & Israel Cárdenas
This poignant tale follows an educated Haitian immigrant as he travels through the Dominican Republic in search of work and a meaning to his life.
Posted in Film, HCX Programs | No Comments »
10.20.11
Co-presented by Haiti Cultural Exchange. Grace & Mercy is a feature documentary that interweaves the tireless work of Marie Jose Poux who runs an orphanage responsible for over 60 children and her brother, Ben Constant, who is the “Mayor” of one of the largest tent cities in Port-au-Prince. Combining unprecedented access with cinema-vérité footage, director Luis Peña paints a beautiful portrait of a brother and sister team who have dedicated their lives to rebuilding their home country of Haiti. Shot over the course of the year following the devastating January 12th earthquake, the film aims to shows how Haiti survives — no matter what — and will one day thrive again.
Director: Luis Peña; Producer: Trace Sheehan; Cinematographer: Jim Frohna; Music: Peter Broderick; Editor: Scott Hamilton Kennedy, Kevin Jones.
Website: http://wehearyourvoice.com/home/.
Visit DOCNYC for more information and to view trailers.
Posted in Film, HCX Collaborations | No Comments »
08.23.11
Come spend some time with us at the Creatively Speaking™ FilmSeries at BAM Cinematek Saturday and Sunday, September 17th and 18th, 2011.
We are celebrating our fifth year presenting the screening series at BAM where we highlight independent film and video by and/or about people of color.
Posted in Film, Uncategorized | No Comments »
07.12.11
On Saturday, June 25th, the HCX crowd was at the lovely FiveMyles Gallery located in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn to watch the intriguing and, at times, poignant film When the Drum is Beating directed by Whitney Dow and co-produced by Daniel Morel and Jane Regan . All eyes were on the screen as the film followed the sensational Haitian band Septentrional as it grew amidst the turmoil that has filled Haiti, the former “Jewel of the Antilles.” The documentary featured interviews from many of Septentrional’s colorful band members as they recalled the bands 62 year history.
While watching the movie, we were moved by countless images of the country’s turbulent past; from its former grace as the Western Hemisphere’s first free black nation to the poorest nation in that area. The graphic and heartbreaking images of the aftermath of the 2009 Earthquake caused a visible stir and a quiet sadness to settle in the room. Band members reflected on the transformation that they were able to be a part of, showcasing their music as it changed throughout the years to reflect the nation. One thing that stood out to me was how the rhythm of the music stayed upbeat and joyful, even as the world around the band was quickly crumbling. The members of “a fusion Cuban big band and Haitian vodou beats”[i] deal with danger and dilapidated conditions every day and continue to spread their music to the masses. Staying in the country is dangerous for all members of the 20 piece band, and they could most likely make a comfortable living elsewhere.
With chaos in front of them, they continue to make beautiful music and keep people dancing. They bring joy and happiness wherever they go and are providing a big help to the people of Haiti. Embodying Haitian joy in the midst of upheaval, Septentrional stands as an icon of hope and progress for the people that love their music and love their country.
On the following Thursday, June 30th An n’ Pale | Café Conversations hosted Whitney Dow, the director and co-producer of When the Drum is Beating. After a segment screening of the film, the conversations opened up to Dow as we discussed the source of his interests in Haiti. Dow explained that his first trip to Haiti was actually during the second ousting of Aristide in 2004 and that the climate in Haiti was admittedly uncomfortable.
The film had gone through four to five revisions and major changes before the team considered it complete. Originally aimed at archiving Septentrional’s history alone, the necessity of context became more and more evident. Incorporating contemporary news that was happening in Haiti during the time of the shooting such as the results of the exile of Aristide and the 2010 Earthquake led to the evolution of the film into something much more historically contextual. The question arose as to whether the disagreements between the older and younger band members was exaggerated or plotted into the documentary. In response, Dow pointed to the inevitability of this archaic feud. When old deep cool streams of water meet fast paced warm currents, there’s bound to be a storm, and at least a little steam.
When asked when he became so interested in the question of the Other, Dow replied that it is not so much an intensive study of the Other but a questioning study of self via Other’s stories. A guiding element, Dow notes, is his work with Marco Williams, his partner at their jointly run production company Two-Tone Productions. Working with Williams, Dow said, helped fuel a positive self critique of his position in the social structure of the world, privilege and race.
A special thank you to Whitney Dow and FiveMyles Gallery and Colors Restaurant for hosting HCX.
Posted in Archive, Film, HCX Programs, Uncategorized | No Comments »