Haiti: A Painted History (2000)

A series of well-known Haitian painters describe through their works 500 years of Haiti's turbulent and often bloody political history in this 56-minute-long documentary, which, originally produced in French, includes voice-overs in English. Made in 1997, this program introduces the viewer to the history of Haiti, beginning with its conquering by the Spanish after Columbus landed in 1492. Performers recite narratives relating to each period, from colonization and revolt to republic and dictatorship, while musicians play. Haiti has always had painters to chronicle its history, and works by self-taught artists abound, with painting everywhere, which in turn serves to influence the style and content of those who go to art school. While the video's emphasis is on the history of Haiti, we see the imagination of the individual painters at work, as narratives are superimposed in a single work or as key figures are portrayed as animals. One of the most sumptuous of paintings is of the kingdom of harmony that existed long ago, where animals did not kill each other. In this desperately poor nation, with high illiteracy rates, painting also plays the role of informing or reminding people of historical events. The final, powerful image of this program is of a large group of painters standing in the sun, each holding one of their works in front of them.