Haiti: The Way to Freedom
by Arnold Antonin
Haiti, 1975
synopsis
This film is the first Haitian feature-length film. Shot in 1974, it traces the Haitian people’s struggle for freedom, from the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier. Historical figures such as Rodolphe Moïse, Ulrick Jolly, and Justin Castera, all of whom have since passed away, call for unity in rebuilding the country. Featuring unique footage of terror and resistance, the film offers an analysis that remains strikingly relevant today. It was, for a time, distributed in Paris by Les Cahiers du Cinéma.
about the directors
Arnold Antonin (born 1942 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti) is a Haitian film director, known both inside and outside Haiti for his social, political and cultural commitment. He was honored for lifetime achievement with the Djibril Diop Mambety award at the International Film Cannes Festival in 2002. He received the Paul Robeson African Diaspora best film award at FESPACO in Ouagadougou in 2007, 2009, and 2011. He also received numerous awards and accolades at festivals for his documentaries and fiction movies. He was president of the Haitian Filmmakers Association (AHC) from 2005 to 2009.
