Raoul Peck was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and studied film at the DFFB in Germany.  His films include Haitian Corner, Lumumba, Death of a Prophet, The Man by the Shore, Lumumba, and Sometimes in April.  In 2001, he received the Human Rights Watch Lifetime Achievement Award.

Director Statement

With this film I wanted to explore the often hidden side of power.  No doubt, an occasion for me to revisit my own political experiences in Haiti and elsewhere. What’s the final day like for a man with unrestrained power, whose supremacy has never been challenged, who is now plunging dizzyingly into a black hole of events he cannot control?

I wanted to explore what happens behind closed doors, during a tragic and unruly “farewell to arms,” when everything becomes possible and irretrievable at the same time? Redemption as well as demise. During these minute gaps in history, a person reveals crudely his true essence, his fears, and his desires—given that there is no time left for craftiness.

We might even see a little bit of ourselves in these characters. With this film, I also wanted to return to my country. I wanted to re-examine, with a Shakespearian perspective, the tragic and foolish nonsense of the past 60 years of upheaval. A battle for “democracy” which took no prisoner. Nowhere else but in Haiti has reality generated so much confusion and so many contradictions.

We chose to shoot Moloch Tropical in a unique location, the Citadelle Henry, built by King Henry Christophe at the beginning of the 19th century atop a steep mountain. With a size of approximately 100,000 square feet, it is the largest fortress in the Western Hemisphere. Perhaps, more importantly it is the indestructible symbol of the only nation in human history that was created by victorious slaves.

The single and unique time in which the trail of slavery that began in Gorée Island (another symbol) was permanently broken. But at what cost?

MOLOCH TROPICAL

Inspired by the kingdom of 19th-century king Henri-Christophe, one of the revolutionary leaders who won for Haiti its independence from French colonial rule, but set in a modern milieu, Moloch Tropical presents a fictionalized portrait of the final days marking the collapse of a regime. The hot air is thick with a tightly coiled tension at President Jean de Dieu’s palatial fortress outside Port-au-Prince. His security force rattles with civil unrest and international diplomats one by one turn their backs on the president’s summit invitation. Hobbling around his quarters, de Dieu erratically exerts scraps of control as his authority rapidly disintegrates into humiliation.

Using symbolism and an almost Shakespearean madness that reverberates across modern governments, Haitian-born auteur Raoul Peck (Lumumba) meticulously drapes the poetic across the political in a searing critique on the universal malady of absolute power corrupting absolutely. Adding to Moloch’s atmosphere, elegant cinematography by Eric Guichard richly captures the lush mountainous landscape and the opulent mise-en-scène of the historic La Citadelle Laferrière.

Special benefit screening for Handicap International.

–Roya Rastegar

The public screening is today at 3:00 pm at SVA-1.

[MOLOC] | 2009 | 107 min | Feature Narrative

Directed by: Raoul Peck

France,  Haiti

New York Premiere

Interests: Politics,  Violence

www.velvet-film.com

Beckoning for Change’s interview with director Phillipe Diaz over his latest documentary project: “The End of Poverty?”

Philippe Diaz started as a director and became a producer very early on, ending up producing more than 25 feature films. Most of these films were tackling world issues or had a socio-political background. Having majored in political philosophy and philosophy of art, he believes that movies can make a difference. He has created a mini-studio based in Los Angeles: Cinema Libre Studio, which specialized in producing and distributing socio-political films.

Narrated by Martin Sheen, “The End of Poverty?” is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in forced labor and the seizure of land and minerals. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies — in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries.

The End of Poverty? asks why today 20% of the planet’s population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate? Can we really end poverty within our current economic system? Think again.

For theatre locations, show times and more information visit  http://www.theendofpoverty.com