This is the story of Île-à-Vache, a small island in the south of Haiti, with less than 20,000 inhabitants and not even 45 Km/17miles square, considered by many as one of the last virgin beaches in the Caribbean. An unexploited paradise. This is David and Goliath story. A country looking for economic rebound, a tourist development project and its consequences, but above all, it is the story of those inhabitants who, seeing themselves threatened, separated from the decision-making, unite to take destiny it into its own hands.
Tourism is the main economy of the Caribbean and Haiti begins to fight for its slice of the cheese, but this country full of contradictions and hit by history does not have it easy. Lack of resources and certain private interests may interfere in their way. This documentary is the result of a shared effort to understand what is happening and give voice to the population.
A. GOVERNING BY DECREE
On May 5, 2013, the Government declares the island a reserved area of public interest,
investors in the sector, ignore property titles and constitution, which protects the right to property of citizens, especially from foreigners.
B. CONSIDERATIONS
20 August 2013. Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe and Tourism Minister Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin, among others, lay the foundation stone of the construction of an international airport (Bois Boutout). A community center (Kay-Kòk). A Cantina (Kay-Kòk). A radio station (Twou-milye). The government builds fountains, playgrounds, a mini-hospital center, puts solar streetlights ... The project is part of a global and tourist vision of Haiti with a social and many say that it is only a marquetry to cover up private interests on the part of the former Prime Minister.
C. CREATION OF KOPI
December 2013. Following road construction and certain abuses by the institutions as evictions without prior notice, violence etc. the community begins to protest
peacefully and forms a local group called KOPI (Collective for Île-à-Vache). In response, the
government tries to stop them by all possible means: blackmail, defamation, imprisonment ...alleged assassination of the leader. Despite this, KOPI continues to organize demosntrations over and over again. The tension and the police presence increases.
"A model of research and a miniature narration of the current Haitian reality”
Directed by: Raquel Gómez-Rosado
Country: Spain
Production year: 2022
Length: 92"
version on 52'-58' on the way
Format: HD COLOR 2,35:1
Film Genre: Socio-Political documentary
Type : Documentary feature
Rating: Suitable for all audiences
Language: Haitian Creole, French, Spanish
Subtitles: Spanish/French/English
Locations: Île-à-Vache, Les Cayes (Haiti)
Produced by:
Raquel Gómez-Rosado
Image and sound edit by:
Raquel Gómez-Rosado
DOP and camera operator:
Raquel Gómez-Rosado
With the assistance of Jean Jacson Placide
on Production, contacts, and Sound
Music: (creative commons 4.0)
AWARDS:
Special Jury Mention / Transhumant / Spain / 2023.
Best Documentary / Cinefem / Uruguay / Uruguay / 2023
Merit Award for Best Documentary / Impact Docs Awards / USA / 2023
Merit Award for Best Female Filmmaker / Impact Docs Awards / USA / 2023
Quarter finalist / Student World Impact Film Festival / USA / 2022
Best Documentary / Gully International Film Festival / Bihar Patna India / 2022
SCREENINGS OUTSIDE FESTIVALS:
IMAGINA2030- Film, Development and Sustainability Festival / Spain / Spain / 2023.
5 Rencontres du Documentaire en Haïti / Haiti / 2023 (Premiere Haiti)
Semaines de L'Amerique Latine et de Caraïbes / France / 2023 (Premiere France)
FERTISOL - "Festival des Solidarités" / France / 2023
Maison d'Haïti / Canada / 2023
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES:
UQAM / Montreal / Canada
UQTR / Montreal / Canada
SELECTIONS:
Kicked off with a pre-selection at IDFA selects.
Vues d'Afrique / Canada / 2023 (World Premiere / Canada)
Madrid Film Festival- PNR / Spain / 2023 (Spanish Premiere)
Festival International du Film Documentaire de Jacmel / Haiti / 2024
Amazonía del Plata Film Festival / Argentina / Argentina / 2024 (Argentina Premiere)
Festival International du Film PanAfricain de Cannes / France / 2023
Festival De Cine De Medio Ambiente - Sembrando Cine / Peru / 2023 (Latin American Premiere / Peru)
Cine del Mar / Uruguay / 2023 (Premiere Uruguay)
Festiver / Colombia / 2023 (Premiere Colombia)
FICAA - International Festival of Animal and Environmental Cinema / Mexico / 2023
Bajo Nuestra Piel - International Human Rights Film Festival / Bolivia / 2023
Film For Peace / Canada / 2023
Free Speech Film Festival / USA / 2023 (Semi Finalist)
Ethnographic Film Festival of Ecuador / Ecuador / 2023 (Ecuador Premiere)
Certamen de Cine de Viajes del Ocejón en el Montgo / Spain / 2023
Le Festival Napoleon / France / 2023
MADRIFF- Madrid Indie Film Festival / Spain / 2022
Miradas Diversas / Venezuela / 2022
All That Moves International Festival / India / 2022
Janjira International Film Festival / India / 2022
* Diario.es: El doble filo del turismo en Haití: convertir el paraíso en negocio- Iolanda Fresnillo- Agosto 2014
* Île à Vache: El paraíso amenazado - Iolanda Fresnillo- mayo 2014
* Tourism territoire et societé: (Éco)tourisme en Haïti : le cas du mégaprojet Destination Île à Vache - Walner Osna - 2022
* Contrepoints: La faiblesse de Haïti : l’absence de droits de propriété - Max Falque - septembre 2021
* Études Caribéennes: La production de l’espace touristique de l’Île-à-Vache (Haïti) : illustration du processus de développement géographique inégal- Sadais Jeannite et Dominic Lapointe- Avril 2016
* Libération: Ile-à-Vache, la nouvelle Punta Cana des Caraïbes ? Par Caterina Clerici,— 15 janvier 2016 à 13:08
* Bataille pour l’Île-à-Vache: Interview avec Jérôme Genest de KOPI - Dady Chery- Mai 2014.
* Quel genre de tourisme serait durable pour l’Ile à Vache, d’Haiti? Interview avec Melinda Wilson -Dady Chery- 21 Avril, 2014
* Alter Presse- Haïti / Ile-à-Vache : Pirates d’hier et d’aujourd’hui Marie-Thérèse Labossière Thomas. -Avril 2014
* Alter Presse- Haïti Tourisme: Ultimatum d’une semaine des habitants de l’Ile à Vache au gouvernement Lamothe -Janvier, 2014
* Is it Time to Say Farewell to Ile-a-Vache?, Bookmanlit
* Fight for Haiti’s Ile a Vache: Interview With KOPI’s Jerome Genest - Dady Chery, May 30, 2014
* What Kind of Tourism Is Sustainable for Haiti’s Ile a Vache? Interview With Melinda Wilson -Dady Chery- April 21, 2014
* Human Rights Organizations: Widespread Abuse and Police Brutality in Haiti’s Ile a Vache -Dady Chery - April 8, 2014
* The Fight for Haiti’s Ile a Vache: An Exclusive Interview With Abaka Bay’s Robert Dietrich - March 18, 2014
* Land Grab at Ile a Vache: Haiti’s Peasants Fight Back- Dady Chery -Mar 1, 2014 at 9:49 pm
* Haiti’s Peasants Fight Land Grab of Offshore Islands for Ecotourism - Dady Chery
* Èske Li Lè, Li Tan Pou Nou Di Ilavach Orevwa?, Bookmanlit
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