The Films Seen By Haitians
Though local film production is practically nonexistent, Haitians still go to the movies. In the 1960s, viewers had the choice of films produced by Italian and French directors. Over time, however, and despite occasional shows by the French Institute, Hollywood cinema has gradually taken over Haitian movie screens. Throughout the Duvalier regime, strict surveillance was exercised over films, lest they convey revolutionary ideas. For example, Luis Buñuel's La fièvre monte à El Pao (Fever mounts in El Pao) was quickly removed from cinemas. At that time, westerns and films inspired by Chinese martial arts were the most frequent choices available to the public.
In the 1980s, the Maxence Elisée group appeared in the Haitian film market. This corporation has allowed the Caribbean Haitian public access to popular films made in France and French versions of American films.
Today, this group (now Leisure Ltd) dominates the distribution and exhibition of cinema and Haiti has the most theaters in the country, including the three largest, the Imperial (5 screens), the Capitol (4 screens), the Rex Theater, and the Paramount.
Read more about this topic: Cinema Of Haiti
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“Right now I think censorship is necessary; the things they’re doing and saying in films right now just shouldn’t be allowed. There’s no dignity anymore and I think that’s very important.”
—Mae West (1892–1980)