Haiti proclaimed its independence on January 1, 1804, becoming the first Black nation to liberate itself from the colonial yoke. But France only recognized Haiti in exchange for a heavy ransom of 150 million francs – a crushing debt which took Haiti more than 100 years to repay and which helped keep the country in poverty. Join HSA for a screening of a new film on this debt, made by filmmaker Wandrille Lanos and with the participation of the Fondation pour la Mémóire de l’Esclavage in France. The film draws on archives and features numerous scholars in Haitian Studies, from Haiti, France and North America. Join the HSA Film Committee for a virtual screening on Friday, October 3, 2025, at 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern/7 pm CEST.
The screening will be moderated by Dr. Alyssa Sepinwall and feature a Q&A following the film with the director.
French with English subtitles.
Sponsors: Haitian Studies Association; California State University, San Marcos; University of Maryland; CUNY Haitian Studies Institute