The two countries of Haiti and Dominican Republic share the island of Hispaniola. In 1937, tens of thousands of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent were exterminated by the Dominican army, based on anti-black hatred fomented by the Dominican government. Fast-forward to 2013, the Dominican Republic stripped the citizenship of anyone with Haitian parents, retroactive to 1929. This ruling rendered more than 200,000 people stateless, without nationality and vulnerable in the country they called home.
In this dangerous climate, Rosa – herself a Dominican of Haitian descent – mounts a grassroots election campaign, fighting for social justice and fundamental human rights.
Director Michèle Stephenson traces the complex tributaries of history and present-day politics in Dominican Republic, observing the way that insidious state-level racism seeps into offices, living rooms and street protests.
This screening will be followed by a live online discussion with the director and UNHCR’s Representative to the UK Rossella Pagliuchi-Lor. Moderated by Simon Offord, lead curator for the exhibition ‘Refugees: Forced to Flee’ at IWM London.
This film is only available in teh UK. To be able to ask questions in the Q&A start promptly at 7pm on Wednesday 14 Apr. If you are unable to make that time, but would like to watch a recorded version of the film + Q&A, this will be available until 11.59pm Fri 16 Apr.
This film is distributed by Bertha Dochouse.
