The increasingly desperate journey of an Haïtian professor to find his place in the world or a reason to live. Jury Award at the Venice Film Festival.
The Haitian professor Jean Remy Genty is always on the move, looking for work. A graceful figure stands out from the crowd; a model Christian, with his books under his arm. On his journeys we see the changing scenario of the city; buildings, men working, noise and movement. Although a job on a building site is a possible option for the unemployed Haitian, Jean does not feel up to it, feeling old and weak. He is looking for something more suited to the intellectual he considers himself to be.

Jean starts to give up hope; he feels the natural need to grow, to have a home, a wife. His desires and his thoughts become confused. Bad feelings start to grow within him, distorting his perception of everyday life. In his despair, he cries out to God for his rightful place. Feeling overwhelmed in the city, he makes a decision: to leave for the interior of the island and try to come to terms with himself through his faith and his beliefs and thus give himself and God one more chance.

Jean arrives at the coast. There he tries to build a primitive home from the ruins of derelict houses. He remains there, with no fixed purpose, trying to create a sense of belonging to something: a place, the daily food. The days go by and Jean, not being used to the countryside, finds himself isolated once again, until he finds out he is not alone in the area.


a film by Laura Amelia Guzmán & Israel Cárdenas

title: Jean Gentil
genre: fiction / drama
length : 84 mins. color
language : spanish / haitian creole

produced by
aurora dominicana / canana films / bärbel mauch film
dominican republic / méxico / germany

with the support of
the hubert bals fund international film festival rotterdam
programa ibermedia
visions sud est - agencia suiza para el desarrollo cosude
world cinema fund / open doors factory
festival del film locarno

in association with
lanza del norte
panamericana de producciones
escuela internacional de cine y tv de san antonio de los baños

written & directed by
laura a. guzmán & israel cárdenas

produced by
pablo cruz / bärbel mauch / israel cárdenas / laura a. guzmán

executive production by
sylvia conde / eduardo guzmán / pedro "peyi" guzmán / gabriel nuncio / geminiano pineda / desiree reyes

with the associate production of
archi lópez / rafael de marchena

CAST
jean remy genty / jean remy
yanmarco king encarnación / yanmarco
paul henri presumé / polo
nadal walcott / agrimensor
lys ambroise /ciryl

Crew
first A.D. / alejandro andújar
line production / ferando santos / ludwig mangual
art & wardrobe / patricia grassals
sound design / alejandro de icaza
sound mixer / rubén valdez
camera assist. / karol gonzález / rafael "cabo" peña
gaffer / daniel adames
script / rodrigo montealegre
sound assist. / richi glusky
editing / israel cárdenas
editing assist. / daniel cárdenas
photography / israel cárdenas / laura a. guzmán
color correction / erwin jaquez / chemistry
lab process / labo digital


Press Contact: Liz Miller / Premier PR

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Haiti, il professor Jean Remy Genty è sempre in viaggio, in cerca di lavoro. Una figura elegante che si staglia tra la folla; un cristiano modello. Nei suoi viaggi vediamo la trasformazione della città, il suo sviluppo eccessivo. Per i disoccupati di Haiti un cantiere edile è un'opportunità di lavoro, ma Jean non se la sente, si considera troppo vecchio e debole. Ritenendosi un intellettuale, cerca qualcosa di più adatto a lui. E così passa anni a cercare un lavoro degno di una persona istruita come lui. Jean comincia a perdere le speranze; sente il bisogno naturale di crescere, avere una casa, una moglie. I suoi desideri e pensieri diventano confusi. Emozioni negative cominciano a crescere in lui, rendendo distorta la sua percezione della vita quotidiana.

di Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas - Repubblica Dominicana, Messico, Germania, 84'
v.o. spagnolo, creolo - s/t inglese/italiano


2010 | VENEZIA 67 - 67th Venice International Film Festival | 1 > 11 September 2010
* Orizzonti