Around here in these parts, we just love social commentary. And when social commentary is somehow embedded in a movie, so much the better. So, when we came across the trailer for the Jean-Claude Fayolle movie Pataswèl (best translation we could think of for the movie’s title: Pimp slapped), we were so excited.

The movie’s trailer was enticing enough: a 60ish (or perhaps even 70ish) man, living in Montreal, Canada gets himself a 40-something wife. If you’ve read Michel S. Laguerre’s book American Odyssey, which is a social study of Haitians living in New York in the 1970s-1980s era, you probably have had a preview of this sort of social dynamic. Haitians living abroad, especially Haitian men, see a photo of a particularly attractive relative of a neighbor, or a friend, then they get hit by the Caribbean love cupid, and have to go to Haiti to marry. Usually the swept-over-her-feet bride is usually a stunning woman, who, if it had not been for the groom’s overseas-living status, would never have fathomed being with the groom. Money, or the illusion of money, and status, changes everything.

Filémon Marc Antoine—played by the quite capable actor Numa Innocent—is such a groom. A long-time resident of Montreal, he marries Mireille (Maggie Volant). Apparently, Mireille just wanted to move out from the Haiti’s sun and do a quick exchange for life in Montreal. Why else would she marry a man who’s nearly twice her age (or at least looks it), and a man who she feels is her intellectual and social inferior? But her obvious contempt for Filémon makes a turn for the worst, and transforms to abuse.

A long-time female friend of Filémon’s (Yanick Dutelly) tries to mold some sense into Filémon (perhaps she’s silently been burning for his love), but he’s too smitten with Mireille to be reasoned with. Meanwhile, Mireille’s equally pretentious friends are pressuring her from all corners and egging on her deplorable actions. Not surprisingly, Mireille is repulsed by the hefty, hippopotamus-like Filémon, and has a side thing going on with the notorious neighborhood daddy mack/mack daddy Brando (Marlon Charles), but he’s got a surprise of his own for her.

Fayolle is the director of the well-celebrated Ti Lòm a L’etranger (alternative title: Ti Lòm aletranje), a movie that explores the assimilation of an illiterate Haitian immigrant in Montréal, and that is recognized by some as the first known full-length feature film made by a Haitian out of Canada, so he is certainly venturing into familiar territory with this film. The movie leaves a lot to be desired in some areas, especially in terms of cinematography. But the acting is convincing (Fayolle himself has a long history in the theatre in Canada), and the subject matter very well handled. The music by Marco L. Volcy gives the movie a certain atmosphere and the script, which Fayolle co-wrote with Naika Pigniat is very astute, and literate.

The last Moise Kharmeliaud movie that I saw was so terrible, so horrendous, that I, one of the most patient, let-me-give-them-the-benefit-of-a-doubt movie fans hit the stop button within 12 minutes. Not satisfied with doing just that, I subsequently hit the EJECT button to get that monstrosity out of my DVD player. The movie was called Le Onzième Commandment (The 11th Commandment), and let me tell you, calling it a bomb (not the bomb, but a bomb), would be well a compliment.

So glad, though, that Mr. Moise is staying away from action fare, and decided to direct a simple little story with the film Les Aventures de Boss Djo

It’s a nice little movie. Heavy on simplicity. The acting is surprisingly not sub par. Guyto Beauduy, who we previously saw on the screen as part of the Demele trio, plays Boss Djo (government name: Joseph Bossilas), an unemployed, married father of three (played smartly by a little band of junior actors Stefica Lafaille, Eli Beauduy, and Glymy Beauduy), who handles life’s hurdles with a dimpled smile and humor. Beauduy has great comedic timing, and knows what it takes to steal a scene. Mirlande Edouard is very effective in her brief appearances on the screen as Beauduy’s screen wife.

The movie is episodic at times, but the story solid. Boss Djo, the protagonist is such a simpleton that he doesn’t realize that the neighbors next door Kenol and Beatrice (Wheeler J. Mackens and Danielle Jacques) have diabolical designs on him. As he battles everything and everyone from his landlord (Ashley Jean-Baptiste) to a drug-dealing denizen , to a voodoo priest (Leon Fanel), to a deportee head of a kidnapping cartel (Wislet Pierre-Louis) and babysits a ditzy, and neurotic 60ish socialite (Ultide Morriset), hilarity ensues.

Kharmeliaud’s Moise has grown more skillful with the camera since his last movie, varying shots and angles. He’s joined by a collaborator who’s billed simply as J. Boy. Other collaborators include Stéphane Baptiste, who did a rather decent job handling the sound, and Laurent Lamy, who took charge of the movie’s lighting. “Kite la Vi Roule”, the movie’s theme sung by folk singer Berthony Pierre-Louis really lends some authenticity and charm to the movie.

Les Adventures de Boss Djo is about how perseverance and faith can triumph over all human misfortunes. If you don’t get at least one genuine laugh, out of the movie, see your local neurosurgeon.

Richard J. Arens is not too bad of a director. To my knowledge, he has helmed three movies thus far: Alelouya (which I thought was hilarious), and My Name Is (which I thought was monstrous), and of course Show Kola. It seems that following Show Kola Arens has gone to make Haiti Cherie: Wind of Hope. The trailer for that movie, doesn’t exactly look enticing.

Show Kola, his second released film, on the other hand, definitely deserves a look. It’s one of few ensemble cast Haitian movies that I’ve seen where one doesn’t lose sight of the characters, as the movie progresses. The movie’s 87 minutes or so, are divided (perhaps not too equally) between four friends: Kerby, Theo, Bob, and Donkey Mix.

Bob is a university psychology major with mommy issues. His mother abandoned the family some years ago, leaving his father in a catatonic state, and Bob himself in a permanent woman-hating mode. He’s romancing Barbara, his father’s goddaughter half-heartedly, but his eyes are elsewhere, roaming, and seeking some unsuspected females to devour.

Arens assembled some of the Haitian movie industry’s best young talents, and up-and-coming talents. In terms of established talent, Georges-Henri Beauvoir—who we have not seen since he starred as François in La Peur D’Aimer —is Kerby (actually he appeared for like 5 seconds in La Rebelle in the birthday party scene). Kerby is so bent on impressing the neighborhood useless pretty girl Christelle, that he misses the lovey-dovey stares and intentions of the long suffering Ingride.

Paul-Henry Athis—who made an impressive debut in La Face de L’Ombre, and went on to star in Les Couleurs de la Dignité— is Théo, the jealous boyfriend to Lourdes-Milla, played by the brilliant Nathalie Ambroise (of La Rebelle fame). Handy Tibert, who is one of the best young actors in the Haitian film industry (Barikad, La Victime), gave a credible performance as Donkey Mix, a deejay (the movie’s title is actually taken from the character’s radio show) who is in love with his boss Supplice (Marie-Yolène Félisma), but can’t bring himself to face the intimidating career woman.

Newcomers Rachéle Abraham (Christelle), and Francila Saintilus (Ingride), Marjorie François (Barbara) round off the well-put together cast. There were others too who appeared, however briefly, but who still made an impression Fritz-Gérald Emmy (as the perverted rapper Jay-C), Aristène Posnel (as the chain-smoking Djomeka), and Maxime Moise, as the man whose estrangement from his wife has led him to an overall mental and physical decline. The director himself has a cameo in the movie, as a disabled radio personality, and Hughette F. St Fleur and Schudson Boursiquot have some marginal roles, while Reginald Lubin appears as himself. At one point, there was a trailer of the movie with the actress (J)Gessica Geneus playing one of the leads, but she must not have made the final cut, or perhaps dropped out of the movie.

Oh, well. On with the movie.

The couples, or potential couples all somehow manage to quarrel prior to Valentine’s Day. But in true romantic comedy fashion, all is mended in time for love to triumph. It was quite ridiculous for Arens to give Ambroise the same lines that she had in La Rebelle as the rebellious Lorraine Dubois (“Je te signalle que c’est mon anniversaire.”). Did he think that we wouldn’t notice? Is there a shortage in dialogue land?
Overall though, with Show Kola, it’s obvious that Arens was trying to do something different, in terms of story, in terms of experimenting with structure and style, and in those aspects, he certainly succeeded. The plot could have been stronger, but most of the resolutions had meat on them.

For some, his movie Pluie D’Espoir is by far, one of the best movies to have come out of Haiti, but director-screenwriter-producer Jacques Roc continues to pound the pavement, looking for new ways to depict Haiti on the screen, albeit in a positive manner. Roc was recently an honoree at the Motion Picture Association of Haiti’s first edition of the Haitian Movie Awards in Boston for being a model of excellence in his field.

Many know about his movie, which was screened at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival some years back—and more recently at the Dominican Republic Global Film Festival—but very few know the man behind the camera, or that he was a musician first and foremost, the way Jean-Léopold Dominique was an agronomist before he became a journalist. Currently in Haiti, juggling different projects, including his sitcom series and his screenplays, Mr. Roc was kind enough to respond to our request for an interview.

Now you started out as a commercial director.
I was a music director for Roy Eaton Music, writing and producing jingles. Was fascinated by the cinema industry since I was eleven years old. Had my first dark room at the age of twelve and developed black and white pictures for all my friends at school. I also did my first Super 8 movie when I was fourteen. It was probably what started the motion. Then of course, music took over and I became this guitar player in a band named Les As Noirs. Later on in New York, I was teaching Dadou Pasquet [a famed musician in the legendary Haitian band Magnum Band] how to play great guitar. He certainly did very well. As a music director in New York, I had the opportunity to create great track for the commercials being shot by professionals. I went to NYU and started my film career.

Do you have a background in theater?
Yes. Somewhat. Studied Berthol Bretch and Samuel Becket. Enjoyed his “Waiting for Godot”. And worked some time ago with the Troupe Quidor…Syto Cavé [Alan Cavé’s theatre veteran dad] and Hervé Denis [late pioneer in Haitian theater]. Wrote a couple plays, but it didn’t go further than that.

Nearly all the actors in your film were first-timers. How did you manage to get such great performances out of them?
Working in Haiti taught me a lot about the Haitian inner talent. They only need a good director. I have found out that it was much easier if they didn’t have previous acting [experience]. Love to make actors out of them. But I did find some good ones, like Lionel Benjamin and Claudine Oriol. Sandra Rabrun did a radio spot with me and showed that she could act.

The international media has reported that you were involved in directing a series based on the lives of the 2010 earthquake survivors.
After the earthquake, having missed death four times, I thought my place was in Haiti to bring relief in some form to the displaced people in the camps. Therefore, we started doing free outdoor projections in the camps. Later on came the idea, with the support of MINUSTAH [an international peace-keeping task force stationed in Haiti], to create a sitcom of a family living in the tent city, as a vehicle to disseminate public information and civic educative films. We went along and produced 20 public service announcements, one on domestic violence, drugs, illegal use of guns, kidnapping etc. We had played that one [the one for domestic violence] for mother’s day as a gift to all women who do not deserve to be violated.

Now as someone who is accustomed to directing splashy commercials and music videos, why did you choose to have such a simple story as the subject for your first feature film?
The simple story as you call it…is quite the fundamentals of our culture. I was always very impressed by the quality of life in the countryside and the moral of the peasants. I had many friends in Chalon when I was gowning up in Miragoane during the summer months. Writing the story was a tribute to their type of moral values and great mentality. Their kindness at all times and their coffee making and offering: “Vwazen wa-p pran ti kafe a?” It was always with a smile!

Everyone is excited about your next project. Or should we say projects. Can you tell us about them?
The very first thing I want to say to you regarding the next projects is the following: Not until everyone has seen the final version of Pluie d’Espoir will our other projects start. The scripts are written and as I said the productions will start after the release of the final version of Pluie d’Espoir. Next year for sure. We have many projects: Children Without a God. Prisoner of Ti Goave and Emilia. You will be hearing about them soon. We also are doing other project to help educate the Haitian population by creating and producing our own TV show for our giant 12 x16 foot screens via our broadcast division Telemobil. It’s called Lekomobil. We will be using this show to teach kids Alphabet like “Sesame Street” did.

Tell us about Jacques Roc the man.
I grew up in Carrefour Feuilles and spent my summer vacations in the little town of three major streets of Miragoane. I admire perfection and jazz music and true love. I love too deeply and get hurt too often. [So] I became passionate about perfection and my work.

My first mentor was Lionel Derenoncourt, nicknamed Nono, who taught me photography when I was twelve. [I want] to leave a legacy of better communicative tools to all the children of Haiti. Teach as many as we can how to read and be heard.

What kind of childhood did Jacques Roc have?
A somewhat terrible childhood—until I discovered music. How to play the guitar. It became my soul mate. My Dad disappeared when I was six, under the regime of the Duvaliers. My mom had a hard time raising six children. But being in a musical band saved my life.

What do you hope to accomplish through your movies?
Send as much messages as I can, when I can have an audience looking and listening; well, if you don’t do that, you waste all your effort. Our role as filmmakers is to create hope and through fantasy we can accomplish that and much more. Hope drives the mind to become stronger and to not only survive but to struggle to the end of the tunnel. Pluie d’Espoir was meant to show the millions of Haitian youngsters that all they needed was hope and confidence to make it in this tough world.

You worked with these actors in Pluie d’Espoir. What are your thoughts on their performances and their futures?
Junior Metellus turned out to be an excellent actor with versatility and brought my ideas to life. Working with him was challenging but worth it. He also had to get into the characters at random since the scenes were shot in that manner. Sandra Rabrun I knew she had talent and would be pleasant to work with since she had already done a radio spot for me for the NY City Department of Health. Lionel Benjamin was the first known Haitian actor I worked with in a couple of TV commercials I had shot in Haiti for Nissan. I though he was very talented as an actor.

Claudine Oriol was coached by the same teacher who taught Denzel Washington and came from LA with lots of credentials. She was great. Powerful. Christian Sajous? As an old friend of mine, since we were 12 years, Jean Christian Sajous was the lead actor in my first Super 8 silent film I did when I was 16 in New York. Of course he was a natural from day one.

Now the actress Ginou Mondesir, the female co-lead died tragically, beaten to death by a significant other. Are you planning on writing a movie or a documentary on domestic violence?
I have already. And will do more on different angles of this issue. We need to teach a lot of Haitian men how to treat women with respect.

We’ve read that after the actress’s death, you took the responsibility for the education of her surviving son.
Somewhat. We committed a percentage of the profits of the movie to his education.

Why do you think Pluie d’Espoir was such a success?
It dealt with a lot of taboos and how reality should be. The only time we show superiority was when we referred to intelligence as Toussaint becoming educated. A man shouldn’t run off and disregard the true essence of love. Toussaint never cheating on his wife made a lot of sense to most women, since they are usually more faithful than men.

The burning question that everyone has for you is this: when will Pluie d’Espoir be released on DVD? And what can we expect after having to wait for it for so long?
I must thank you for asking. It’s people like you that keep my spirit up! Pluie d’Espoir was pirated so be it! But now, we are going to release it on DVD and with a limited edition signed and numbered. With a beautiful book of pictures from the entire production shoot.

You also do your own casting for your movies. How do you decide the suitability of an actor or actress for a role?
Casting is something I enjoy doing because it takes me to the culture of understanding what the actor I have created in my vision should look like. When I meet the potential actor, I can sense his talent even before the audition. That is the basis of my (how to choose my talent). It may take me more time to find one lead actor. Like in Pluie d’Espoir, it took me six months to find Junior Metellus. The others did not take us as long.

Do you ever get the urge to direct music videos again?
Of course and I will. I just wouldn’t be interested in cheap HD musical video productions. Nothing beats filmmaking and real film. Super 16, 35 and Super 35. Negative transfer is where the essence of music video is.

Some critics have accused you of having an unrealistic plot in Pluie D’espoir. What are your thoughts on that?
Ah ahahah! People or critics shouldn’t even be criticizing because they don’t know what the real deal is. Critics write their criticism according to their own experience and never criticize the white man when he makes a car climb the Empire State Building or land a chopper on top of a tall building without a landing pad.

They tend to forget the real reality of the many Haitians who have left the country in the 60’s and never to return until ten, fifteen years later. Toussaint was a real character I knew when I was twelve years old and because of my clever guitar playing I was welcomed in all of his many Sandwich shops to eat for free. He made fortune within three years and left for the USA.

Many Haitians made fortunes in the country in a short period of time and to this day history is repeating itself. The critics shouldn’t stay biased and limited to their own conditions without looking around and deeply into the nouveau rich…how they made their money. In the US, stores hire salesmen to move their business, but in Haiti, people just sell to retailers without having salesmen to pay. Think about that. By the way this part that the critics didn’t quite get…they would easily [see it] if they had seen the final version of the movie, because one scene explains it. Or more like Philippe the entrepreneur explains to Toussaint how to make the money. If I were a critic, I would wait to have read the entire book before I write about it.

What Haitian actors and actresses do you hope to work with in the future?
Stanley Mathéus, Gessica Généus, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Benz Antoine and Elizabeth Alphonse who has played in my sitcom “Anba Syèl La”. By the way the new season of the sitcom starts soon.

Does Haitian cinema have a future?
I certainly believe that but contrary to what Mr. Arnold Antonin [fellow Haitian movie director] thinks: “Haitians can never make film like Hollywood”. I disagree because, yes we can. It’s not [about]how many special effects [scenes] in our films, we are creating science fictions, if we go back in time in the thirties…some black and white movies were outstanding. We can make movies just like Hollywood.

In a matter of years, Jimmy Jean-Louis has become the most prominent black actors in Hollywood and one of the most successful Haitian actors in Hollywood (some would say the most successful). Jean-Louis who immigrated to France while a pre-teen worked first as a model in Europe, then moved to the USA in the 90s, and has never looked back.

From roles in Phat Girls to Diary of a Tired Black Man to his iconic role in the television hit series, Jean-Louis practically typifies the Hollywood Dream. But he’s also spread his wings, having flirted with Nollywood, having starred in Relentless and the award-winning Sinking Sands, two African-produced dramas. One of the biggest highlights of his career thus far, is playing the Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture in the Philippe Niang biopic of the legendary 19th Century leader. Next up is a role as a priest alongside 50 Cent, Meg Ryan, John Lithgow, and Anthony Anderson in the film The Lives of Saints. For Jean-Louis, life is good.

At the time of our interview, the actor is fighting a really bad cold, but decides he wants to keep his word about our scheduled interview. Calling from Paris, France, the Pétionville-born actor is enthusiastic and animated as he discusses the Toussaint L’ouverture project, family life, and educating kids in Haiti, a cause close to his heart.

Would you tell us about the mini-series that you’re in, that’s about Toussaint L’ouverture?
As it is now, it’s two movies of 90 minutes. Part 1 and part 2. It’s a total of 3 hours. It was shot entirely in French, [with] a little bit of Kreyol as well. Shot in France and Martinique, which replaced Haiti as a location. It’s ready now. I believe between February or March, it will be available. It was financed by French television…France 2. It will be on their station first and then [it will be available] for the international market. I’m not sure yet how it’s going to be distributed, whether it’s going to be in theaters or broadcasted on an [American] television station.

How did you get involved?
The producers contacted me. You have to understand they have tried to make this movie for the past 20 years. And Danny Glover tried to make this movie for the past 15 years. And many other names have tried to make it. It was a long overdue movie. I was called by the producers to play the role, because they felt I fit the character. I had to do a lot of exercises. I had to learn how to ride a horse. I took lessons for a couple of months. [I had to learn how to] do sword-fighting. I took lessons in California and France.

Did you read any books to give you a sense of the time period?
Yeah, of course. I read a few books. I watched a few documentaries that were made about him. I had information coming from him from historians in America and France. Had a lot of conversations. So, I had to do a lot of research to portray him as well. I’m very, very proud of the end results.

Why was the movie filmed in Martinique and not in Haiti? A lot of people feel it would have brought a lot of publicity to Haiti, and it only seemed natural that it should be filmed in Haiti and not another island.
Haiti falls short on some requirements. I think the production tried, but it’s difficult to get insurance to insure a place like Haiti right now. From what I’ve been told, that’s one of the reasons why we couldn’t go there and shoot. The structure in Haiti is not the best either. Electricity. The roads are still pretty bad. As a Haitian, I would love to have shot it there.

Are you going to be returning to American television anytime soon?
I’m not sure as to what will come to me in the future. I’m open to all kinds of projects. I’m still doing movies in different places, in different markets. Whether it’s America, France, or Africa. As of now, I am not currently attached to any American TV show.

What was the last the last thing that made you cry?
[long pause] Well. [pause]. Maybe going back to Haiti. Definitely the earthquake. Since I’ve been going back and forth, I’m very touched by what’s happened. Every time you go there, you still find a good reason to cry. I was there last week, and the situation is still so bad. People losing their family members. The dire situation there.