A Moment in History: Proposal

What is the topic/focus of the piece?

My film will focus on how Haitians were negatively impacted by French colonization in the 17th century. Not to show Haitians as weak people, or for pity, but to show resilience. I want to highlight why I feel that these things have made me who I am, and possibly others like me. By interviewing people in my family and asking them how they consider the subject, I will uncover the complexities of colonization’s effects over time. The work that is currently available about this topic is primarily factual and historical. A piece like mine adds value to the facts of history because it also includes a personal experience. A story that is genuine and relatable.

What is the objective of the piece?/What are you exploring/questioning?

Throughout history, and even today, white society has tried to erase what blacks know of their history. Our history has been taken away from us and whitewashed. Many black people today do not know where their families originate because of years of forced migration worldwide. It has made it hard for us to connect to our roots. Like Maya Angelou once said, “If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.” Even if we can’t find our origins, we can at least develop an understanding of where we are potentially from. My film will help bridge this gap by giving people a chance to understand and who their ancestors could have been. Part of knowing where you are from is knowing the history of your ancestors. Building this relationship will benefit black people, ambling them to recognize where they are from and further, understand where they are going.

A large portion of my life has been centered around my Haitian culture. It is ingrained in the way I eat, what I eat, my personality, and my mind. I grew up listening to the music, hearing my family speak Creole and dancing Kompa during our family Christmas parties. As I got older, I thought more deeply about why I am who I am. What makes my people the way we are, and how did we get to this point? I began to ask questions about my family’s history, and quickly realized the resilience of my Haitian relatives. Not just my immediate family, but my ancestors as well. It is easy for me to recognize how the history of my country has affected me now, but I want others to appreciate it too. I believe the importance of Haiti’s role in history has been and continues to be overlooked It is treated as an afterthought. This is what I want to change. How is it possible that the first black nation to gain their independence is now being neglected?

Who is the intended audience?

I want black people to have something to make them feel hope and pride, something to be proud of. This film is something that anyone could watch, but it is even more so for black people to feel inspired. Haiti was the first black republic to gain its independence and was ahead of its time in this. Black people everywhere deserve to know of this historic moment. I think that it is crucial to recognize our strength as a people, especially in a time where society is trying to bring us down. Often we aren’t taught of the victories of black people in history. Exposing the history of Haiti and how it has affected our people and my family will help the audience understand that we should be able to embrace our past and use it to drive our future.

RESEARCH: brief summary of research, references and inspirational pieces

I have found many documentaries on the history of French colonization in Haiti, but they lack an intimate story. Most of them focus on the facts but don’t get into a deeper dive into Haiti’s history than that. There was a lack of documentaries told a personal story, which further proves the lack of acknowledgment that Haiti receives for its role in history. However, I did find one short film that piqued my interest. It tells how the art of machete fencing is being lost, but a mane known as papa machete is continuing to hold the tradition. He talks about how the machete was a tool used to cut sugarcane and turned into the weapon that many Haitians used to fight the French. I also found inspiration through photos of my family members and paintings depicting the Haitian revolution.

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2016/09/29/papa-machete/