Visions of Haiti

Visions of Haiti offers a rare chance to see films about Haiti and by the country’s filmmakers, offering an authentic and multifaceted portrayal of this Caribbean nation. Presented by Barbarican Cinema, The season covers some 70 years of material from the 1930s travelogues of Rudy Burckhard to award-winning contemporary Haitian born filmmakers and Esery Mondesir, Gessica Généus and Miryam Charles.

Visions of Haiti opens with a double-bill screening: A Fortress​/Une forteresse by Haitian born, Canadian writer-director Miryam Charles, paired with White Zombie by Victor Halperin, considered to be Hollywood’s first Zombie film; both films explore the ghosts of Haiti’s colonial past in very different ways, channelling elements of the country’s Vodou religion. This event opens with newly commissioned poetry readings by alumni from Barbican Young Poets. Later in the series, Miryam Charles’ debut feature Cette Maison will screen preceded by a poetry reading by poet and artist Esme Allman.

Matthew Barrington, Barbican Cinema curator says:

There have been many interesting works made by Haitian filmmakers or artists responding to elements of Haitian culture over the years, but there’s never really been much focus on them; that’s why I wanted to create this season. 

One reason for these stories being often overlooked can be traced back to the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), which saw slaves in the country, led by Toussaint Louverture, rise up against their French colonisers and take power for themselves, leading to it becoming the first country to be founded by former slaves. But, fearing other revolts, many European powers ostracised the nation and burdened it with enormous debts, leaving the population in financial difficulties – a legacy that continues today.

It’s a country which has been repeatedly punished for its history. After the revolution, one of the biggest issues was that the country had to pay France a huge sum of money for its freedom, which took 122 years to settle. So, over the years, huge amounts of resources have been extracted from the country, creating instability. As a result, domestic cinema production was not really a priority in the face of day-to-day challenges.

Barbarican is an international arts and events centre rooted firmly in their neighbourhood, collaborating with local communities.  Central to Barbarican’s purpose is supporting emerging talent and shaping opportunities that will accelerate the next generation of creatives.

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