Ghosts of Cité Soleil

It is simple--this is a story of of gang warfare. There is no truth--there is no right--there is no way out. It will only end when one side is wiped out. I commend the makers of this film on their documentation of the voices of all involved and this film should be viewed by everyone who is concerned about violence that springs up in the midst of poverty. It is not without reason--these people have a need for respect, they have family, they want the same things that every human wants/desires--if you don't care ... what do you expect. This is not only a film about Haiti, but about any environment in the world that faces the extremes that these people face...

It's 2004 in the slum of Cité Soleil, Haiti. 2Pac and Bily are brothers and two of the leaders of the Chiméres, loyal violent young gang supporters of President Aristide. Lele is a French aid worker. Billy likes Lele but she gets involved with 2Pac. As opposition forces rise up to take on Aristide, the brothers clash over loyalties and the mounting pressures. Eventually Aristide is overthrown and the brothers are hunted by the new government.

This documentary is a bit rough and muddy. It has the gritty streets of Cité Soleil. It has great access to these guys and brings the camera right into this disturbing world. Some parts of this documentary seems to be random which leaves me questioning if any of this is manufactured. It's always tough to figure out whether 2Pac is sincere or simply full of bravado. The movie needs to dig a little deeper into the brothers. It may not be possible but it would be great for the brothers to have a heart to heart without the machismo. It also needs a narration or a presenter to clarify the situation in their lives and their feelings. For example, 2Pac was arrested by Aristide's men but the movie doesn't really explain what happened.

Despite a few rather dour write up's on this site, I admired 'Ghosts Of Citi Soleil'. If anybody followed the news in Haiti a few years ago, it's dictator, Aristade was deposed, leaving the country in a state of chaos. This "cinema verite" documentary concerns two brothers on opposite sides of the whole ugly scene (one, pro Aristade,the other, con). Both brothers are involved in vicious street gangs, although there is still a sense of brotherly love between the two, despite the odds. The film documents a warts & all approach to the whole gang problem that makes daily life a misery in the ghetto where it all takes place (it's very gritty, complete with a firecracker string of f-bombs, gun violence & general ugliness). The great Wyclef Jean not only composed the incidental score to the film, but also has some on screen time, as well (for those who have been living in a cave for the last ten or more years now, Jean is a musician,producer,arranger, and former member of the Fugees). If I have any quirks about this film, it's sometime hard to pin a bead on the film's camera work (the hand held camera work does tend at times to shake around a little too much). Apart from that,for anybody who has an iron clad will (and doesn't get too offended by rough language), Ghosts Of Citi Soleil is a grim, but interesting window into another culture,generally ignored by America.

DOCUMENTARY - Taking an incredible risk Asger Leth documents the existence of the secret army, known as 'the chimeres', in the Haitian capital sub-slum, Cite Soleil - according to the UN the most dangerous place on earth.

Former President Aristide has denied the existence of this government funded secret army, that spread terror in the ghettos of Port-au-Prince.

Director Asger Leth succeeds absolutely in showing the total neglect by former president Aristide and also the complete misunderstanding of the situation by the American armed forces (or political leaders). And - mind you - Asger Leth succeeds without being political or biased by anyone or anything. This is journalistic documentary when it's best. At the same time some of the emotional-tools of film-making integrates smoothly within the faint storyline.

That's the strength - and in some way also the small flaw. The storyline is simply too wage to manifest totally because the violence and roughness is so massive - that's why the 9 of 10 stars.

It's a minor detail in the overall picture. A perception that 'Ghosts of Cite Soleil' is both a masterpiece and a necessity. It's a mindblowing insight in a horrifying world only 1 1/2 hours flight from Miami(US).

And finally it's a sensitive emotional portrait of a group of peace-seeking youngsters with dreams, loves, losses and unbearable grief. No parents (they're shot dead), a few remaining friends (about to be shot dead) no schools, no jobs, no money, no future... All they have is this almost irrational faint hope, some cheap guns and a overwhelming struggle to survive.

A tough but emotional and very well made documentary by Asger.

A candle in chaos! Thanks mate :-)

Its a couple of years since I saw this docuflick, so what you get here is the essence that stuck in my memory.

The two brothers and main characters are living idolizing a gangsta lifestyle and are far more gangstas than the celebrity gangstas that they idolize. These are the real gangstas from real life Partly by choice but even more by need of survival, their fascination with with the celebrity gangstas most of all represent the dream of surviving their present situation (with success). The potentially lethal and ever present tension with their surrounding environment and each other, is something that I have never seen like this in a documentary. they seem to have no choice but aggression. As a viewer you get the feeling that any sign of weakness shown by the main characters will bring them closer to death but so will their aggressiveness. This film made the African child soldier "Johnny Mad Dog" much more realistic for me.

This movie is not without flaws, but portraying it as a movie with a political agenda is a mistake. Its a movie about desperate people interacting in a poor, violent and desperate environment. The frame of the story happens to be Aristides Haiti but it could have been a lot of places.

The 9-star rating is due to the very close and personal relationship between the camera and the characters and the danger that the makers of this movie has exposed themselves to.