“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
CI featured on Swiss Television
CI featured on European Culture TV channel, ARTE
CI Presents at Global Kids Roundtable in New York City
Haiti’s Cine Institute Receives Katrin Cartlidge Bursary
Ciné Institute Receives Award at Sarajevo Film Festival
Music School of Jacmel
Toro
Haitian Art: Buried But Not Dead
Viva Chocolate
Act for Haiti! Learn Acting and Support CI
Aider Pour Survivre
CINÉ INSTITUTE – JACMEL, HAITI SEEKS FULL TIME TEACHERS
The Overlooked
CI Set to Benefit from Large Concert in Austria, Aug. 5 2010
CI Featured in Filmmaker Magazine
“Mobilisation” Allah MP 2 Real
CI Featured on Swiss TV show Kulturplatz
Scouts After the Quake
Independent Magazine: Struggle and Triumph For Haiti’s Ciné Institute
Ciné Institute Gets a New Home
CI recognized in Los Angeles Times Blog, La Plaza
CBC TV Spot for current CI Student Film Series
Look at Me
Grace for Haiti
Ciné Institute Spring Update
Silent March
Vues d’Afrique Film Festival, April 15 – 25, 2010. Supporting Haitian Cinema
I’m Still Alive
A Legacy Under the Rubble
CBCNews.ca launches series of CI videos on the 3 month anniversary of Haiti’s earthquake.
Ciné Lumiere
On Set: ‘We Are the World 25 for Haiti’
Zaka’s Loss: Feature Story on the Globe and Mail
Crying Man
Jacmel featured in Canada’s Globe and Mail
Rebuilding Haiti: Haitians say jobs, schools, homes are key to recovery
Chana
Charlie Libin: Shooting an Action Sequence
Grand Mere
Charlie Libin of ‘Friends of Ciné Institute’ recounts his recent visit to CI
[...] from their website, a statement from their director, to counter fucked-up and racist media coverage: “I have been told that much US media coverage [...]
The magnitude of the devestion there in Haiti is just so great that getting supplies there and getting them distributed is an awesome task. I haven’t seen any news stories here in the U. S. about the violence, but it just takes time to get a relief effort of this size organized. God bless Haiti and its people.
Theresa
Thank you for the keen and insightful perspective from the ground level in Haiti following the natural disaster… your commitment to the culture in Haiti is unwavering, and your presence there is eminently respectable. My friends on the street in Miami will sleep easier tonight after hearing how strong and dignified the people of Haiti are proving in the face of unprecedented adversity. Thank you, again.
Thank you for sharing the film and writing of your students. I heard an interview on CBC radio (Canada) with one of your people who is in Canada and found your website. The short clips by your students are more powerful and more raw than what we are seeing on television here. Know that our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with you and all who are affected by this disaster.
David,
Thanks for your post. The stories we are seeing in the US do not paint the picture of chaos except at some locations where food is being distributed. The prayers of all of
go out to you and all of the people in Haiti. I pray that this tragedy will be the beginning of a better future for all the people of Haiti. We have a sister parrish in LaVallee, St John The Baptist. Have you heard any news from LaVallee?
God bless all of you!
Jim Young
On almost all news footage I have seen coming from Haiti, I have been amazed at just how peaceful EVERYONE has been, given the unimaginable circumstances they are in, from the smallest of children, to the oldest of people, even those who are suffering physically and emotionally. The people of Haiti have shown themselves to be “grace under fire” while waiting for help to arrive. How frightening it must be to not have the most basic of needs, water, food & medicine.
I am keeping Haiti and it’s people in my prayers. My message to Haitians: Stay strong. Don’t give up hope. The world is watching & cares. You are not forgotten.
We are with you in your struggle. Please carry on with the reporting. thank you from Canada.
[...] south coast, warned the American media not to exaggerate reports of violence in Haiti. In a post on the school’s Web site, Mr. Belle wrote from Port-au-Prince: I have been told that much U.S. media coverage paints Haiti [...]
So relieved your missing student is ok. Your films are helping us understand what is happening there. Please continue this important work and thank you so much. The world is watching.
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 de enero de 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (sitio consultado el 17 de enero de [...]
Je suis Canadien et je suis l’actualité de ce qui se passe actuellement en Haiti principalement je suis branché sur CNN.COM et MSNBC.COM je confirme que les AMIREQUINS ont la chienne d’acheminer les ressources au coeur de l’action et donne de plus en plus comme excuse un soit disant caractère anarchique du peuple Haitien.Comme s’est dans leur nature et leur culture les medias americains sont en train de faire tout un cirque avec leur intervention en Haiti de toute évidence ils cherchent à redorer leur image international Peuple Haitien mefiez vous les USA sont la pour vous aidez bien sur et ils en ont les moyens mais ils ont un agenda caché à n’en pas douter
Claude
David — First, my heart goes out to you and to all the people who have been so severely impacted by this event. I had a long and satisfying career in journalism, and I have read and watched everything I can since news of the quake first emerged. Perhaps this summary of my own perceptions will be helpful:
Most of the coverage has fallen into three categories:
The damage done by the quake
The desperate plight of those affected by the quake, and the growing frustration that help is either slow in coming or hasn’t come at all.
The logistical problems of getting relief supplies where they need to go.
In recent days there also has been televised coverage of the violence that has flared, almost all of it in the capital. Some of it has involved gangs, armed with machetes and clubs, fighting over something taken from a store. I two reports documenting the killing of two men in different locales who were caught looting homes by neighbors. A report I saw today showed no incident, but talked about a neighborhood which has sealed itself off and sets up guards at the entrances to the neighborhoods. The residents said there were armed thugs roaming around at night, and begged for security forces to be sent in. One of those who spoke on camera said he recognized one of the thugs has someone who escaped from the prison after it was destroyed in the quake.
I’ve seen no stories depicting violence outside the capital. I can’t know if that’s because it’s only been in recent days that other areas have caught the media’s attention, but I saw no reference about violence in Leogane, and there’s your report from Jacmel as well. I can’t recall the name of a town I saw a report on today that was depicted as being closest to the epicenter, but there was no reference to violence. Help had not arrived there, and the story centered on efforts residents have made to organize and take care of things.
Has there been violence? Absolutely – the videos make it all too clear. Does it predominate U.S. coverage? No, but it does seem to be increasing. Is the impression being created that Haiti is a tinderbox about to explode? To a certain degree, but the speculative stories that are creating these impressions strike me as being sympathetic rather than cynical or critical.
And it’s in line with the public’s expectations. All of us in the states are wondering “How much longer can people go without water, food, shelter, health care, hospitals, morgues, etc?” All of us who have been parents know what we would be capable of doing if our child’s life depended on water or care that was not forthcoming. We would do whatever it took to get it. I think Americans understand that. They see images of “looting” but they don’t consider it looting in such a situation when the items taken are life’s necessities.
No one here knows whether Haiti’s a tinderbox, but none of us would be surprised and few would be unsympathetic. It must be a terrifying and desperate time for many if not most Haitians, and I pray that help gets everywhere it’s needed as soon as possible, and that the rebuilding goes well and rapidly.
Finally, congratulations to you and your students for your video accounts. The New York Times has made many references to them and they are admirably done.
All the best to you and all,
Sean
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 de enero de 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (sitio consultado el 17 de enero de [...]
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 de enero de 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (sitio consultado el 17 de enero de [...]
[...] su parte, el director del Instituto de Cine de Jacmel, David Belle, atestigua lo que su modo de ver es un comportamiento ejemplar de haitianos y haititanas: “Me [...]
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 de enero de 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (sitio consultado el 17 de enero de [...]
HI David,
Thanks for your news on whats really happening in Haiti.
I just sent you an email regarding a relief effort a friend is setting up for Haiti.
Getting as many like-minded people together is the best way to help the Haitian people
recover from this catastrophe and build a better future.
Let me know if there’s anything I can do from New York.
My thoughts & prayers are with the you.
Stay safe.
Simon
[...] the mainstream media reports from the ground tell a very different story. such as this one from Dave Belle, director of the Cine Instute [...]
Radio-Canada, nous met en lien avec votre site,nous sommes heureux de pouvoir avoir des nouvelles directement par vous, vous êtes les mieux placés pour en parler.Gardez le contact à tout prix avec nous,car tous les canadiens, les québécois sont prêts à vous aider. Il y a maintenant, mais il y a aussi après…
Nous sommes là, vous n’êtes pas seuls.
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 de enero de 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (sitio consultado el 17 de enero de 2010). Fuente :.alainet [...]
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 de enero de 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (sitio consultado el 17 de enero de [...]
[...] siguiente testimonio del director del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, también contradice radicalmente la imagen [...]
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 januari 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (geraadpleegd 16 januari [...]
[...] del Ciné Institute de Jacmel, David Belle, informa desde Puerto Príncipe”, 17 de enero de 2010. http://www.cineinstitute.com/news/2010/01/17/cine-institute-director-david-belle-reports-from-port-a... (sitio consultado el 17 de enero de [...]
[...] David Belle, director of the Cine Institute, noted on the institute’s blog: 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. [...]