A collective work in constant motion – through time, space and means of expression – Ouvertures is the product of intense research and creative work by the Haitian artistic group The Living and the Dead Ensemble. This unusual film is true to its title, constantly re-evaluating received wisdom and the lessons of history, in order to find new ways to be and define one’s sense of belonging. Its sweep is vast: from the Jura mountains, where the famous revolutionary Toussaint Louverture lived out his last days behind bars, to the streets of Port-au-Prince, where the group performs a play by Édouard Glissant about Louverture; from archival research and current debates about identity and the colonial legacy, to theatre, dance, poetry and rap. A bold and exciting experience. (Bruno Dequen)

Presented in collaboration with Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC)

Ouvertures