The 2nd Edition of FESTIVAL FILM JAKMEL - July 2005

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Film Festival Inspires Hope in Haiti

The 2nd Edition of FESTIVAL FILM JAKMEL - July 2005

For immediate release

Contact: kate.cross@jakmelfilm.ht
Tel: (509) 288-2071

FOSAJ (Fondation Sant D'A Jakmel) presents the 2nd Edition of Festival Film Jakmel from the 9-16 of July 2005 in Jacmel, Haiti. This years' festival features a selection of recent award-winning films from around the world. The festival's complete film program, to be announced June 15th 2005, will include approximately 100 films from over 30 countries.

Highlighted this year are films from Latin America and the Caribbean featuring approximately 20 films from some of Haiti's neighbors, including the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Colombia, French Guyana, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil.

The festival will also present an important selection of approximately 80 o
ther films in the following categories: Africa, France, Cinema La Kay (Haiti), World Cinema, Planet Earth, Children's Films, and a Special Homage will be paid to the great Italian actor FRANCO NERO, star of spaghetti westerns, who is expected to attend.

The 2nd Edition of Festival Film Jakmel is the first large scale international selection of films ever brought to Haiti featuring works by respected names in international cinema such as Walter Salles (Brazil), Wim Wenders(Germany), Ang Lee(China), Jonathan Demme(USA), Abderrahmane Sissako(Mauritania), Raoul Peck (Haiti), Agnès Jaoui(France), Mira Nair(India), Jacques Perrin(France), Jacques Tati(France), Jean-Jacques Annaud(France), Euzhan Palcy(Martinique), Djibril Diop Mambety(Senegal), and Michel Ocelot(France).

Made possible in part through the support of film production and distribution companies from around the world, who have lent their titles free of charge, Festival Film Jakmel
is proud to acknowledge the participation of Sony Pictures Entertainment, DreamWorks SKG, HBO Films, Fox Entertainment, Reverse Angle, Haut et Court, Flach Pyramide, ThinkFilms, PATHE, Bac Films, Zone Film, Casa de Cinema de Porto Alegre, Magnolia Pictures, Banyan ltd., Artcam International, Media Headquaters, Video Films, CNDP, Metronomic, Elizabeth Films, UNICEF Spain, Mambo Media, Pomm Productions, Les Films A4, Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía, Production de al Lanterne. Crystal Films, Dialogue Production, Services Culture Editions Ressources pour L'Education Nationale Français, Duo Films, Médecins du Monde, Scénarios d'Afrique, Imagine Haiti, Will Brothers Entertainment, L'Association Haitienne des Cinéastes, PSI Haiti, Fanal Productions, l'Alliance Française, Agence des Jeunes Producteurs, and Elboro Creation.

Festival Film Jakmel's official patrons are currently the Haitian Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of France in Haiti, the Embassy of Spain in Haiti, the Spanish Agency for Inter
national Cooperation and Crowing Rooster Arts, Inc.
A complete list of the festival's official sponsors will be announced June 24th 2005.

Festival Film Jakmel's mission is to unite, educate and entertain Haitians and foreigners through cinema. All screenings are open to the public and free of charge. In addition to daily and nightly screenings, the festival and FOSAJ will present intensive workshops in film making with visiting professionals, free concerts, debates, a gallery exhibit featuring paintings by visiting French artist Benoit Tschieret, and a jewelry exhibit with works of three visiting Swedish designers.

Festival Film Jakmel was founded in 2004 by David Belle and Patrick Boucard, the co-directors of the festival. Mr. Belle is an award winning filmmaker from the United States and Mr Boucard is a Haitian artist who is the founder and director of FOSAJ a foundation dedicated to empowering Haitian people through art and culture. The festival's staff in Jacmel is made up of Haitian
s and foreigners. The festival has acquisitions representatives in Jacmel, Port-au-Prince, New York, Montreal, London, Madrid, and Cape Town.

For additional information and updates visit the festival website http://www.jakmelfilm.ht/

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<blockquote><p align=justify>Jakmel Film Festival - 15 July 2005, (Tequila Minsky, Heritagekonpa.com)

The second edition of Film Festival Jacmel was something miraculous given the state of insecurity in Haiti. In Jacmel there was light and excitement for the week long film festival which ran from July 9 through July 16. The festival featured an amazing array of international and local films. More than 15 directors attended, with representatives from 30 countries travelling from as far as Africa, Canada, France, United States, Spain, Cuba, Guadeloupe, and other Caribbean nations. The list of directors included Raoul Peck, Jeff Zimbalist, Abderrahmane Sissako, Dany Laferrière, Andrew Dosunmu, Jean Claude Flamand,
Jacques Roc, and Janluk Stanislas among others.

Patrick Boucard, co-director and founder of the film festival, addressed the audience at the opening ceremony. He highlighted that festiva
l would featured over 100 awards-films, including 21 films from local Haitian filmmakers (titled Cinema La Kay). This year the film were divided into categories: Africa, France, Americas and the Caribbean, the Earth, Children's Films. All film screenings were free-of-charge to the general public.

This year all film screenings were shown at four different venues, including the Jackmel's Wharf, a large open-air public space for night-time screenings. The other threee venues included former movie theater, Acropolys, a long dormant facility which has a seating capacity of 150. The larger Concorde disco, with balcony seating , had been harnessed as a daytime movie housing over 500. Ecole de Musique was reserved as screening venue for 200 viewers.

Jacmel Film Festival kicked off with Opening Night Film "Cousines", a Haitian film, directed by filmmaker Richard Senecal. Jacmel's Wharf was the official site for the film festival's grand opening. The dock was built about 6 years ago with the hop
e of attracting cruise ships to the era.

Unfortunately, it was never used for that purpose due to poor construction. On Saturday, July 9 the wharf found a great purpose as an outdoor venue. Jacmelians came out in droves, children romped while the audience assembled to recorded music. A previously neglected section of Jacmel has suddenly found new life.

More then 2000 viewers attended Cousines' world premier. The audience did not mind standing for nearly two hours to see the movie. Movies fans were not disappointed for the the film echoed sentiments which reflects on today's Haitian economics reality and relationships. In addition to the film screening, there was an outdoor concert that kept the party going way past midnight.

Security was plentiful but not oppressive.

Co-founder David Belle welcomed an enthusiatic crowd which doubled in size the second night of the Film Festival. As word of mouth seems to bring out the whole town, timachann (vendors) take advantage of this b
usiness opportunity to sell fritay, soda, and other snacks at the gate.

Similar to last year's program, Guetty Felin organized workshops and dialogues with renowned filmmakers participating in the festival for people interested in filmmaking. All workshops took place at Alliance Francaise.

Writer and filmmaker Dany Laferrière led last Monday's workshop on adapting novels to cinema. Participating in the first all day workshops were over 100 Haitians interested in film--high school students, graduates, journalists, and university students, those interested in becoming videographers, becoming actors, or those wanting to know how to understand films.