Lakaywood Film Festival Debuts in Cap-Haitien, A Plus for Haitian Cinema

Lakaywood Film Festival - Filmmaker Pierrot Mervilier, Cap-Haitien Mayors Patrick Almonor and Yvrose Pierre

Tags: Lakaywood Film Festival, Haiti Movie News

Inspired by global cinema hubs like Hollywood, Bollywood, and Nollywood. The festival, themed "Haiti, a Story to Tell," highlighted Haiti's cultural heritage and the potential of film as a tool for socio-economic growth.

The local community and government showed strong support for the festival. Cap-Haitien Mayor Yvrose Pierre expressed her desire to make the event an annual tradition, while Deputy Mayor Patrick Almonor suggested using City Hall's front to showcase films for free, aiming to provide positive entertainment options for the youth.

Almonor emphasized that this would help reduce the vulnerability of youth to gang activities, given the lack of recreational spaces.

The festival also shed light on the challenges faced by Haiti's film industry, particularly the state of its cinematic infrastructure, with Cap-Haitien's iconic Versailles Cine now serving as a church.

Mervilier highlighted Lakaywood as a potential pathway for Haitian youth to escape poverty and achieve financial independence.

The festival featured actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, who has worked across major film industries, symbolizing Haiti's growing presence in global cinema.

Looking ahead, the Lakaywood Foundation, led by Mervilier, is launching a film contest for Haiti's 146 municipalities to produce films for next year's festival, offering support to those interested in participating.

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