Ghosts Of Cit?? Soleil
m_dejean
Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
I just went to see this documentary a couple of days ago, and I wanted to recommend it to the good folks on this board, not just because it was made by a danish director (Asger Leth), but because its good.Here is the synopsis taken from http://www.ghostsofcitesoleil.com/:"Two hours off the shores of Miami Beach, Haiti lies nestled next to the Dominican Republic, ignored by the rest of the world. It is a country of poverty and despair and violence. But to the vast majority of people who have never set foot in Haiti, "Hell" is the only word that can truly convey its condition of life. This is where GHOSTS OF CITE SOLEIL takes place. The reality of life today in Haiti unfolds before us as we get to know two brothers and their stories intimately. They are 2Pac and Bily, Haitian gang leaders who strive to make better choices in a world with no choices at all.
Through unprecedented access, we see the brothers' love and hatred for each other, their love triangle with Lele, a French relief worker, and their unsavory pact with President Aristide during his desperate grasp to maintain power in early 2004. Speaking the language of violence and knowing that staying alive in Haiti is a very day-to-day proposition, 2Pac and Bily struggle to find a better life for themselves and for their people.
GHOSTS OF CIT?? SOLEIL is the story of young armed men from the slum, being used for political purposes. It is a testament of desperate dreams in a ghetto world where dog eats dog. It is the story of a brother's love and a brother's hate. Cain and Abel. With hip-hop and rap music as an existential part of their desperate hope for survival in Cit?? Soleil,- the most dangerous place on earth."It's pretty intense and very dynamic, which is no surprise given the subject matter. Wyclef Jean executive produced it and wrote the score, and while I could do without his personal appearences in the film, I applaud him for endorsing this document from a part of the world that no one really gives a fuck about. My mother is from Port-Au-Prince, so I was of course intrigued by the images and the story. I've never been to Haiti myself. My family moved to America in '51 and none of them have gone back. I've alway felt a greater attachment to the U.S., since this is where I've gone to visit family since I was 3 years old, but it's still interesting for me to see what goes on in the mother-mothercountry.It's funny, because it always made me uneasy to see Aristide portraits and Lavalas posters in my grandmas house. She thinks he's a saint and she'll hear no discussion about it, but watching this film further consolidated my opinion of the man. That's not to say that the film is not without its flaws in conveying the ambigous political situation in Haiti. For example, there are lots of details about the history and motives of the opposition leaders (who are portrayed as the good guys) that are not told. Despite these drawbacks, I think it does a good job at getting inside the characters and their enviroment, showing the effects of the politics instead of coming with a heavy-handed analysis. If anything, it shows you how violence is inescapable, no matter what side you're on.Anyway, tell your local film festival planners to put it on the program. I feel like more people should see it. Here's a trailer taken from Wyclefs myspace page:Ghosts of Cite Soleil Trailer
Through unprecedented access, we see the brothers' love and hatred for each other, their love triangle with Lele, a French relief worker, and their unsavory pact with President Aristide during his desperate grasp to maintain power in early 2004. Speaking the language of violence and knowing that staying alive in Haiti is a very day-to-day proposition, 2Pac and Bily struggle to find a better life for themselves and for their people.GHOSTS OF CIT?? SOLEIL is the story of young armed men from the slum, being used for political purposes. It is a testament of desperate dreams in a ghetto world where dog eats dog. It is the story of a brother's love and a brother's hate. Cain and Abel. With hip-hop and rap music as an existential part of their desperate hope for survival in Cit?? Soleil,- the most dangerous place on earth."It's pretty intense and very dynamic, which is no surprise given the subject matter. Wyclef Jean executive produced it and wrote the score, and while I could do without his personal appearences in the film, I applaud him for endorsing this document from a part of the world that no one really gives a fuck about. My mother is from Port-Au-Prince, so I was of course intrigued by the images and the story. I've never been to Haiti myself. My family moved to America in '51 and none of them have gone back. I've alway felt a greater attachment to the U.S., since this is where I've gone to visit family since I was 3 years old, but it's still interesting for me to see what goes on in the mother-mothercountry.It's funny, because it always made me uneasy to see Aristide portraits and Lavalas posters in my grandmas house. She thinks he's a saint and she'll hear no discussion about it, but watching this film further consolidated my opinion of the man. That's not to say that the film is not without its flaws in conveying the ambigous political situation in Haiti. For example, there are lots of details about the history and motives of the opposition leaders (who are portrayed as the good guys) that are not told. Despite these drawbacks, I think it does a good job at getting inside the characters and their enviroment, showing the effects of the politics instead of coming with a heavy-handed analysis. If anything, it shows you how violence is inescapable, no matter what side you're on.Anyway, tell your local film festival planners to put it on the program. I feel like more people should see it. Here's a trailer taken from Wyclefs myspace page:Ghosts of Cite Soleil Trailer