Our First Screening

After delays with the generator which would not start and various technical problems with the 110v genny and transformers we finally did our first screening on Sunday. We visited the camp by Belval Plaza the day before and watched a big group of people, young and older practicing their march/dance for Haiti Flag Day in may.

The next evening we used a barrow guy to transport our stuff to the camp.  The kids were amazing in the talent show before just as Alex, Gary and Marko (the previous HKKP team) had told us.

The kids were very playful, welcoming, a real pleasure to be with. Everyone was pleased to see the return of HKKP. The camp has reduced since the last trip which is good as many people have been housed and have moved on.

The Kirikou film went down very well with everyone, from really young to adults. The petrol ran out right at the the end but we got the show back up in 2 minutes just in time for the last scenes and credits.

Today the genny got fixed by waldo a mechanic friend of Berlynes. We plan to do another screening there tonight and Tuesday.

We are settling in to Leogane. Finding the good food stalls, the good shops, the market. Its very hot, dusty and busy but beautiful, vibrant and exciting.

 

 

 

Films that we screen in Haiti

Some people asked what we were screening over in Haiti – here you go….

Shorts – some of the classics that always work.

La Belle Fille et La Sorciere ( short 3 mins – a great crowd pleaser and great intro)
Sean the Sheep – Loads of Episodes – ones that worked – ‘The Bull’, ‘Kite’ and ‘Circus’
Ti Sentaniz ( 35 mins – audience favourite as it is in Kreyol – with strong social message)
The Baby by Les Rescapes – Haitian slap stick. This episode the favourite, Park one also good.
Some HKKP videos made by UK kids and Haitian kids.
Magic Gourd – Haitian student film – works well.
Josh Sanquist ( This is a great short video with Kreyol voice over about amputees playing sports)
Red Balloon ( 40 mins – massive crowd pleaser – standing crowds cheering! Unbelievable reaction every time)
We show footage from previous days at camps – kids performing etc, they love this!

Features – All films in French.

Kirikou et La Sorciere – Magical Baby saves village from Sorcerer in Africa – Firm fave, and a great film.
Le Ballon d’Or (Boy from village in Guinea wants to be best footballer in Africa – great adventure)
Kirikou et Les Betes Sauvages (Kirikou 2 – good but less action that first film)
Robin Du Bois – (Robin Hood disney cartoon) – Good one but a lot of talking that loses audience at times.
Princess and the Frog – Disney animation set in New Orleans – lots of Voodoo and action, worked well.

Next group head to Haiti for February

On the 1st of Feb, three more volunteers will head to Haiti to continue the HKKP project. Kayle, Felix and Hogge are long term Cube cinema volunteers, and are full of energy and new ideas. They plan to visit Leogane and Jacmel, building on the links made in the last trip. We wish them well and look forward to hearing new stories of happy screenings and workshops.

last night in haiti …

whistle posse!  Its our last night in Haiti, and we’re back in Port-au-Prince, ready to head to the airport tomorrow morning… here are a some favourite memories from the trip…

There’s a popular saying here that Haitians are like sugar – they disappear in the rain.  Our trip’s been at the end of the rainy season so we experienced a few sudden downpours.  But the kids didn’t mind getting a bit wet –  One of our best shows was when we were rained out and decided to put up a makeshift screen in a lean-to… ending up with an explosively excited and very appreciative audience packed into a very small area.

G. hanging out with future pop stars… definitely our best memories are going to be the larger than life characters we met in Hait – Jean Michel, Junior, Tracey, Berlynne, Roosevelt, George and especially the kids  in our audience…  we salute you!

Final show

The final screening at small camp right next to where we’re staying in Leogane.  The camp leader said we could come as long as we bought some beers at his bar.  No problem.  Great final screening.  Don’t know if any of us can watch “Kirikou and the Sorceress” ever again, but it has been the most popular film of the trip.  That and “The Red Ballon” which has caused audience reactions like we’ve never seen before.  Literally kids screaming with joy, clapping and cheering.  Really amazing, especially for a pretty much silent film made in 1956!