Toussaint Louverture
DVD cover
Directed byPhilippe Niang
Written byPhilippe Niang
Produced byJean-Louis Monthieux
France Zobda
Régine Larcher
StarringJimmy Jean-Louis
Aïssa Maïga
Sonia Rolland
CinematographyDominique Bouilleret
Edited byJean-Daniel Fernandez Qundez
Music byMichel Amsellem
Christophe Monthieux
Krishoo Monthieux
Production
company
Distributed byFrance 2
Release date
  • February 9, 2012 (2012-02-09) (Festival de Luchon)
Running time
182 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguagesFrench
Haitian Creole

Toussaint Louverture [tusɛ̃ luvɛʁtyʁ] is a 2012 French film written and directed by Philippe Niang. It stars Jimmy Jean-Louis, Aïssa Maïga and Sonia Rolland and is based on the life of Toussaint Louverture.

The film premiered at the 2012 Festival de Luchon.[1] It won the Best Diaspora Feature award at the 8th Africa Movie Academy Awards.[2][3]

Cast

Plot Summary

First part: "The Flight of the Eagle"

A slave deemed too old and not productive enough by his owner, Toussaint 's father was thrown into the waters of Cap-Français, under the eyes of his own son, then only 8 years old. As an adult, Toussaint ( Jimmy Jean-Louis ) is employed on the Bréda estate by Bayon de Libertat ( Philippe Caroit ), who teaches him to read and write. The young man discovers the texts of Abbé Raynal, an Enlightenment philosopher who advocates the abolition of slavery. Toussaint then chooses to abandon his wife Suzanne ( Aïssa Maïga) and their two children to become the leader of a group of rebellious slaves . The Spanish troops noticed his military talents and enlisted him in the army which fought against France.

Second part: "The Battle of the Eagles"

On the eve of the Revolution of 1789, Toussaint Louverture prepares Saint Domingue to free itself from its chains, imposed by French Colonization. Strong in character, steeped in democratic convictions, and then imbued with the brand new values and benefits of the nascent Republic, he allied himself with France after having fought alongside the Spaniards, the English and having refused the Alliance with the States of 'America. After the betrayal of the Consul Bonaparte ( Thomas Langmann ), crowned since emperor in December 1804, Santo Domingo takes the name of Haiti, because Toussaint, at the cost of his life, will have made his country the first Independent Negro State from which slavery is finally banished. From his prison at Fort de Joux, he will be the very person who analyzes with hindsight and wisdom his behavior in the face of each situation.

References

  1. ↑ http://web.ac-toulouse.fr/automne_modules_files/pnews/public/r18254_8_grilles_projections_fest.luchon_2012-1.pdf
  2. ↑ "Happy as a Slave: The Toussaint Louverture miniseries". h-france.net. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Pan African Film Festival: Toussaint Louverture". paff.org. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
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