Haitian Studies Association

Past Events

Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival (Mar. 3 – 12, 2023)


Note: This is not an H.S.A. event. We are simply spreading the word.


Miami Film Festival is a world-class platform for International, American, and Ibero-American films. The special 40th edition of the Miami Film Festival occurs from March 3-12, 2023.

The following is a small collection of films screened that may be of interest to our readership. You can see the entire schedule here.

‘The Gravity’ and ‘Me Little Me’ will include a Q&A after the screening.


In Belgium today, a young boy and an adolescent girl who have travelled alone from Africa pit their invincible friendship against the difficult conditions of their exile.

Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne are Belgian directors. In 1975, they created Dérives, which has produced over 60 documentaries. In 1994, they created Les Films du Fleuve for producing feature films.

Fri, Mar 3rd, 7:15 PM @ Coral Gables Art Cinema

Thu, Mar 9th, 9:00 PM @ Bill Cosford Cinema



An unprecedented alignment of planets impacting gravity will upset the balance of a ghetto and the destiny of two duos of brothers eager to do anything for their freedom in an unceasing fight between old and new generations.

Cédric Ido is a Franco-Burkinabè director known for his shorts Hasaki Ya Suda (2011) and Twaaga (2013), as well as his first feature film La Vie de Château in collaboration with Modi Barry. The Gravity is his second feature film.

Sun, Mar 5th, 12:30 PM @ Silverspot Cinema 16 (In Person Q&A)


While in the early stages of recovery from an eating disorder, Mya finds herself especially alone. As though balancing her mental health and relationships wasn’t hard enough, tension rises when she’s promoted in her male-dominant industry with demanding expectations and delinquent coworkers. Stress rises to an all-time high, and together, obstacles culminate until everything comes tumbling down. In a humble and heartbreaking journey, Mya embodies just how complicated, tiring, and lonely it can be to feel just a little self-love.

Elizabeth Ayiku is a Black Canadian-born filmmaker residing in Los Angeles, CA. As a filmmaker, Elizabeth’s goal is to continue making character driven films that will spark important conversations. Me Little Me is her first feature film.

Sat, Mar 11th, 3:15 PM @ Silverspot Cinema 16 (In Person Q&A)


Angola. Three generations of women in a 25-year-long civil war: Lelena (the grandmother), Nayola (the daughter) and Yara (the granddaughter).

Past and present interlace. Nayola goes in search of her missing husband at the height of the war. Decades later, the country is nally at peace but Nayola has not returned. Yara has become a rebellious teenager and a subversive rap singer. Lelena tries to contain her for fear of the police coming to arrest her. One night, a masked intruder breaks into their house, armed with a machete. An encounter like nothing they could have imagined…

José Miguel Ribeiro was animator of Os Salteadores, co-directed O Ovo, and other short animations for Portuguese version of Sesam’s Street. He won an award in Cinanima with O Banquete da Rainha and directed A Suspeita (Cartoon D’Or 2000).

Sat, Mar 11th, 3:30 PM @ Bill Cosford Cinema


In 1791, in Haiti, Dutty Boukman presided over a Vodou ritual in Bois-Caïman that led to the creation of the first Black republic. Since then, rituals of transformation and artistic expression have been at the core of a thriving culture as the country faces oppression, poverty, and natural disasters. “Kite Zo A” (Leave the Bones) is a sensorial film about rituals in Haiti, from ancient to modern, made in collaboration with poets, dancers, musicians, fishermen, daredevil rollerbladers, and Vodou priests, set to poetry by Haitian author Wood-Jerry Gabriel.

Kaveh Nabatian is an Iranian-Canadian artist whose filmmaking has brought to life stories from the margins of society.

Sun, Mar 12th, 3:00 PM @ Silverspot Cinema 13


Locations & Cost:

Spotlight Cinema – 300 SE 3rd St #100, Miami, FL 33131

Coral Gables Cinema -260 Aragon Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134

Bill Cosford Cinema – University of Miami – 5030 Brunson Dr, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Tickets are $12 for Students, Seniors and Veterans and $13 for General admission.