Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1985)

Directors:

Maya Deren, Cherel Ito,

Writers:

Maya Deren (book), Cherel Ito,

Stars:

John Genke, Joan Pape

Cast

Credited cast:
John Genke	...	Narrator (voice)
Joan Pape	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

avant garde | experimental film | surrealism | independent film | based on book

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1993 (Germany)

Filming Locations:

Haiti

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

52 min 52 min (Cosmic Zoom Festival)

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in In the Mirror of Maya Deren (2002)

User Reviews

Fascinating Trip Inside World of Voodoo

This is a fascinating look at the beliefs of Haitian Voodoo (or Voudoun) adherents, and explains the cosmology of this poorly understood religion. The "Divine Horsemen" are the gods (Loas) of voodoo. The nature of each Loa is explained, together with footage of rituals and signs dedicated to it.

Experimental filmmaker Maya Deren went to Haiti in the late 1940's and shot some 20,000 feet of film of Voodoo (or Voudoun) ceremonies, together with the attendant sound recordings. She published a monograph on her studies in 1953 under the name "Divine Horsemen," but this film was not actually edited for distribution until after her death in 1961.

Definitely worth seeing!