Camden New Journal - Movies: Ghosts of Cite Soleil

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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with WILLIAM HALL
Published: 19 July 2007

A ‘Thugster’ holds a gun in Ghosts Of Cite Soleil

Haunting look inside violent, forgotten Haiti

GHOSTS OF CITE SOLEIL
Directed by Asger Leth
Certificate 15

SCORCHING images inflame the night. Burning tyres send black smoke spiralling into the sky.
Half-naked men brandishing guns parade through desolate streets. A wire noose hangs from a tree, waiting for its next victim. What’s it all about?
It’s all about modern-day Haiti, and it doesn’t make for easy viewing.
Danish director Asger Leth took his life into his hands to produce powerful, dangerous footage from the months he spent in 2004 in “that forgotten hell-hole” a mere two hours from affluent Miami.
The result is a disturbing 88-minute documentary filmed in conditions, according to the director, where “friends” helping on the production died or simply disappeared.
Nor surprising, when you witness the kind of people crawling out from under their stones to take part. The cameras focus on two swaggering brothers named “2pac” and “Billy”, rival gang leaders working for the highest bidder and giving us a new word in the lexicon of the ungodly: “Thugster”.
No need to translate that one. Book your flights now. On second thoughts, perhaps not.

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"BEEN THERE, DONE THAT", THE SCENES HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH IN 20 YEARS. I GUESS THEY NEVER WILL.
Big Bill

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