Jacmel, Haiti (CNN) -- Much was lost in the town of Jacmel, Haiti's cultural center.
The nation's only film school has lost two buildings.
From the Toronto Star:
..... it is a group of film students that deserves the credit for ensuring Jacmel was not overlooked in the global rescue and relief effort. The Ciné Institute, a school run by a former U.S. documentary filmmaker, was hard at work when the 7.0-magnitude quake struck. The students went to work instantly with their hand-held cameras and boom microphones to capture the devastation.
Some lost family in the disaster, others lost their homes, but few have stopped working out of a small compound near the Jacmel airport. They beamed their videos to CNN, which broadcast them to the world. When the Star and a television crew from Radio-Canada visited Tuesday, they filmed the journalists at work. "We're constantly working, day and night," said Jocelyn Fyrmin, 24, a school employee. "We want these images to be seen by as many people as possible. We want to get attention and help."
Report from student: Fritzner Simeus from Jacmel from Ciné Institute on Vimeo.
The Victims In Jacmel : Keziah Jean reports from the field (subtitled) from Ciné Institute on Vimeo.
A short news report made before the earthquake about the Cine School:
AFP Report: "Haiti: aspiring capital of Caribbean cinema" from Ciné Institute on Vimeo.
Supporters of Ciné Institute include: ArtAction, Crowing Rooster Arts, Cinereach, FOKAL,Fond.Voila, Inter-American Foundation, Jan Vrijman Fund, Hedge Against Poverty, Hubert Bals Fund, Paul Haggis, Francis Ford Coppola, the Spanish Embassy in Haiti
Force Marie Jacmel from Ciné Institute on Vimeo.
Ciné Institute Director David Belle reports from Port-au-Prince:
“I have been told that much US media coverage paints Haiti as a tinderbox ready to explode. I’m told that lead stories in major media are of looting, violence and chaos. There could be nothing further from the truth.
“I have traveled the entire city daily since my arrival. The extent of damages is absolutely staggering. At every step, at every bend is one horrific tragedy after another; homes, businesses, schools and churches leveled to nothing. Inside every mountain of rubble there are people, most dead at this point. The smell is overwhelming. On every street are people — survivors — who have lost everything they have: homes, parents, children, friends.
“NOT ONCE have we witnessed a single act of aggression or violence. To the contrary, we have witnessed neighbors helping neighbors and friends helping friends and strangers. We’ve seen neighbors digging in rubble with their bare hands to find survivors. We’ve seen traditional healers treating the injured; we’ve seen dignified ceremonies for mass burials and residents patiently waiting under boiling sun with nothing but their few remaining belongings. A crippled city of two million awaits help, medicine, food and water. Most haven’t received any.
“Haiti can be proud of its survivors. Their dignity and decency in the face of this tragedy is itself staggering.”
David Belle, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, January 17th, 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment