This section presents programmes on topics that our curators are passionate about or that are simply fun.
From the many forms of disco to all-too-topical, AI-powered future scenarios, from historical films that have lost none of their relevance to a trilogy by last year’s winner of the Promotional Award, Samuel Suffren: our special programmes hold many discoveries.
Waves in the Eyes:
A Haitian Trilogy by Samuel SuffrenThis trilogy is inspired by the story of Samuel Suffren’s father, who embarked on a boat journey with 22 other Haitians in 1981 in search of the American Dream. After 20 days of travel, the boat was sent back to Haiti, and he never reached the USA. In 2021, Samuel decided to go to Port-de-Paix, in northern Haiti, the very place where his father had attempted his journey more than 40 years ago. There, he was deeply moved by what he saw. The boats that used to carry 20 people were now much larger and filled with 500 migrants trying to reach Miami. What are the risks of leaving and those of staying?
In his films, Samuel creates an intimate cinematic universe deeply rooted in the real, blurring the line between fiction and documentary. The three films tell stories from the perspective of those who stay in the country. We wait with the protagonists, expecting news from their loved ones; we suffer with them while life continues to be cruel; and we experience with them the uncertainty of whether they’ll ever see those who left again.
Samuel visually reconnects with his past and ancestors, framing Haiti with a latent gaiety, like a joy that will come tomorrow. His work portrays the beauty, the resilience, and the strength of his country: «When you come from there, you don’t have the luxury of making a film just to make a film. The creative act becomes activism.»
Curated by Delphine Jeanneret
