Haiti International Film Festival announces 2026 selections ahead of 11th edition

The Haiti International Film Festival (HIFF) has announced 16 official selections for its 11th annual edition, set for Saturday at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood.

Founded in 2015 by filmmaker, cultural advocate and cinema professor Jacquil Constant, HIFF was created to elevate Haitian and African diasporic storytelling. This year’s theme, “Konnesans: The Art of Knowledge in Haitian Cinema,” centers on film as a vehicle for history, memory and cultural inheritance, organizers said. Actor and HIFF ambassador Béchir Sylvain, known for “Jurassic Park: Rebirth” and Marvel’s “Wonder Man,” will be hosting the event.

“These films reflect the richness of Haitian and Diasporic life, and the importance of creating spaces where that work can be seen, discussed, and celebrated by the Pan-African community,” Constant said in a statement.

The lineup spans documentaries, narrative features and shorts. Among them is “Where the Leaves Grow Green,” directed by Don-Dimitri Joseph and starring Sylvain, which takes on themes of immigration and family. “The Creole Pig: Haiti’s Great Loss,” directed by Dudley Alexis, traces the history of the native Creole pig and its role in rural Haitian life. “Montmartre,” a feature narrative directed by Leon Hendrix and starring Jesse Williams of “Grey’s Anatomy,” follows a woman who rediscovers her passion for life while abroad in Paris. The festival will also screen “The Heroes of the Massacre River,” a documentary on the building of the Canal of Ouanaminthe.

HIFF will present its Haitian Diaspora Award to author and Yale professor Marlene Daut, its Haitian Community Award to actress and producer Tessa Munro, and its Haitian Ally Award to actor and filmmaker Rodney Charles. The festival will also hand out prizes including Best Feature Film, Best Documentary Film and Best Haitian Diaspora Short Film.

Special guests are expected to include actor Jean Elie, a creative consultant for “Wonder Man,” and director Kelley Kali, whose short film “Lalo’s House” won at HIFF in 2018.

Beyond the festival, HIFF said it plans to continue its mentorship programming with a creative retreat in Cap-Haïtien slated for the first quarter of 2027.

Tickets are available at filmfreeway.com/HIFF/tickets. More information is available at haitiinternationalfilmfestival.org.

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