Ghosts of Cité Soleil (2006)

Directors:

Asger Leth
Milos Loncarevic (co-director)

Writer:

Asger Leth (writer)

Release Date:

20 July 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Action | Drama | Music | Romance | War

Plot:

In the slum of Cité Soleil, President Aristide's most loyal supporters were ruling as kings. The five...

Plot Keywords:

Rap | Male Female Relationship | Gangster Rap | Brother Brother Relationship | Jealousy

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Winson '2Pac' Jean	...	Himself
Wyclef Jean	...	Himself
James 'Bily' Petit Frère	...	Himself
Éleonore 'Lele' Senlis	...	Herself

Directed by
Asger Leth
Milos Loncarevic		(co-director)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Asger Leth		writer

Produced by
Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis	....	executive producer
George Hickenlooper	....	executive producer
Wyclef Jean	....	executive producer
Seth Kanegis	....	executive producer
Seth Kanegis	....	producer
Christel C.D. Karlsen	....	line producer
Jørgen Leth	....	executive producer
Kim Magnusson	....	executive producer
Tomas Radoor	....	producer
Mikael Rieks	....	producer
Leila Vestgaard	....	assisting producer
Cary Woods	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis
Wyclef Jean

Cinematography by
Frederik Jacobi
Asger Leth
Milos Loncarevic

Film Editing by
Adam Nielsen

Production Design by
Asger Leth

Sound Department
Peter Albrechtsen	....	additional sound editor
Henrik Garnov	....	sound editor
Hans Møller	....	sound
Rasmus Winther	....	sound re-recording mixer

Editorial Department
Peter Brandt	....	second editor
Bjarke de Koning	....	assistant editor
Christina Isabel Emdrup	....	post-production coordinator
Mette Høst Hansen	....	post-production coordinator
Glennie Pettersson	....	post-production coordinator
Per Sandholt	....	second editor
Nanna van Elk	....	post-production coordinator
Kaspar Astrup Schröder	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Marianne Christensen	....	production consultant
Claus Willadsen	....	production coordinator
Cory Monden	....	senior engineer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Independent Pictures (II)
• Nordisk Film
• Sak Pasé Films
• Sunset Productions

Distributors

• A-Film Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2006) (UK) (all media)
• Sony BMG Feature Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony BMG Feature Films (2006) (USA) (all media)
• THINKFilm (2007) (USA) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Goldcrest Post Production New York  audio mixing
• Goldcrest Post Production New York  on-line editing

Runtime:

Argentina:88 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | USA:85 min | Canada:88 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Denmark | USA

Language:

Haitian | English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Haiti

Company:

Independent Pictures (II)

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Smagsdommerne: (#5.14)" (2007)

Another Joyous Musical Romp

Despite a few rather dour write up's on this site, I admired 'Ghosts Of Citi Soleil'. If anybody followed the news in Haiti a few years ago, it's dictator, Aristade was deposed, leaving the country in a state of chaos. This "cinema verite" documentary concerns two brothers on opposite sides of the whole ugly scene (one, pro Aristade,the other, con). Both brothers are involved in vicious street gangs, although there is still a sense of brotherly love between the two, despite the odds. The film documents a warts & all approach to the whole gang problem that makes daily life a misery in the ghetto where it all takes place (it's very gritty, complete with a firecracker string of f-bombs, gun violence & general ugliness). The great Wyclef Jean not only composed the incidental score to the film, but also has some on screen time, as well (for those who have been living in a cave for the last ten or more years now, Jean is a musician,producer,arranger, and former member of the Fugees). If I have any quirks about this film, it's sometime hard to pin a bead on the film's camera work (the hand held camera work does tend at times to shake around a little too much). Apart from that,for anybody who has an iron clad will (and doesn't get too offended by rough language), Ghosts Of Citi Soleil is a grim, but interesting window into another culture,generally ignored by America.