Cuba & Haiti

Three short films explore the interconnections of Cuba and Haiti in the larger narrative of the Black Caribbean.

De bateyes (1971)
Dir. Sara Gómez
24min, DCP

Foregrounding Haitians and Afro-Cubans, this short documentary on the titular sugar mills of Cuba looks at the everyday life of its workers in a cinematic history of agriculture, labor and class struggle.

Reshipment / Reembarque (2014)
Dir. Gloria Rolando
58min

In the early 20th century, Haitians crossed the Gulf of Gonaives to work as laborers in the cane fields. When the sugar market crashed, many were forcibly returned to Haiti. Here, the voices of prominent historians join the memories of Haitians and their descendants in Cuba to understand a complex economic chapter.

Simparele (1974)
Dir. Humberto Solás
30min

Humberto Solas reconstructs Haitian history through music, dance, visual art, and documentary footage.