An introduction to Haitian Vodou as told by Vodouisants,'Achante' is an immersive image-driven portrait of spiritual practices in Haiti.
Achantè, from the French'Enchante' meaning both'enchanted' and'it is enchanting to make your acquaintance', combines narrative and documentary film making techniques to produce a moving and atmospheric portrait of Haitian Vodou, featuring four communities in the south of Haiti. It parallels the Vodou creation story with the historical creation of the free nation of Haiti. Featuring an original score by acclaimed musician Nick Zammuto, with voiceover by Max G. Beauvoir, a houng'an and internationally recognised authority on Vodou.


Achante is an introduction to the misunderstood and misrepresented world of Haitian Vodou. It is a powerful counterpoint to media representations of Haiti in the past year, highlighting the deeply caring and social nature of the beliefs and practices of Vodouisants. Using a unique film-making technique that combines a documentary shooting style, with creative representations of religious icons and historical facts,'Achante' communicates the immersive experience of the Vodou faith from within the peristyle. The film parallels the Haitian Vodou creation story with the historical creation of the free nation of Haiti. It combines portraits and spiritual manifestations of the'Lwa', or Vodou spirits, as composed by a cross section of Vodouisants from across the country. These men and women depict the spirits as they relate to the iconic Catholic chromographs that permeate marketplaces and Vodou peristyles, and many are'mounted' or possessed by the Lwa on camera. The participants are not actors, and each one has contributed key elements to the narrative, to the portraiture and to the presentation of their faith to foreign audiences. Emphasis is placed on themes of creation, revolution, redemption and the meaning of the crossroads as a point of transition between the worlds of the living and of the spirits and the dead. It features an original score by acclaimed musician Nick Zammuto, and its voice over is taken from a series of interviews conducted by the director over several months with Max G. Beauvoir, a Houng'an and internationally recognized authority on Vodou. "


Directors: Emily McMehen, Geoffrey Sautner
2011, Haiti / Canada
Haitian Creole, with English subtitles
Documentary short / 35 minutes / PG 13


director
Emily McMehen

screenwriter
Davoud Geramifard
Emily McMehen
Geoffrey Sautner
Max G Beauvoir
Reza Shirvani
Rouzbeh Heydari

producer
Emily McMehen
Geoffrey Sautner

cinematographer
Geoffrey Sautner

editors
Davoud Geramifard
Emily McMehen
Geoffrey Sautner
Nick Zammuto
Reza Shirvani
Rouzbeh Heydari


Source:
http://ecu.festivalgenius.com/2012/films/enchanted_emilymcmehen_ecu2012