KANAVAL: A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF HAITI IN SIX CHAPTERS
A ground-breaking, award-winning fact-based film commissioned by the BBC Arena strand and BFI Doc Society. The film focuses on a surreal carnival that takes place in Jacmel, South Haiti and uses the characters, through their voices, costumes and street theatre, as a vehicle to tell oft silenced, unique and globally important history of Haiti…especially the successful revolt of the Enslaved peoples and the creation of the first Black Republic in the New World.
Interwoven with the interviews, testimonies and visually stunning observational footage is archive material drawn from a wide variety of sources to enhance our understanding of Haitian history and culture from the time of the indigenous Taino through to the present day.
Watch on BBC iPlayer
Screenings, festivals and awards
2023 - Le Festival International du Film des Droits humains de Guadeloupe, Alliance Ciné Caraïbes.
2023 - FIFAC, St-Laurent de Maroni, French Guyana
2023 - Roxy Cinema, Lower Manhattan
2023 - St Moritz Arts Film Festival
2023 - Toronto Hot Docs
2023 - Winner of best documentary by Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards
2023 - Special mention and screening at DIFF (Dublin International Film Festival)
2022 - Nominated BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) for best debut feature documentary director and best cinematography
2022 - Nominated Grierson Documentary Award at LFF
2022 - London Film Festival
Director & Producer Leah Gordon
DOP Joel Honeywell
Director Eddie Hutton-Mills
Producer Natasha Dack Ojumu
Editor Xanna Ward Dixon
Sound Don Nelson
1st AC Lami Okrekson
2nd AC Emmanuelle Charles
Production Fixer Andre Eugene
Production Manager Peterson Jean-Pierre
Assistant Sound Marcellan Roudi Riguad