Freda, written and directed by Gessica Geneus, could not be more timely. On July 7, 2021, Haitian president Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by a foreign hit squad. Stability has not yet returned. Armed gangs that some say are financed by politicians seem to be gaining power while the government is losing it.
Freda wrestles with these themes and more: corrupt politicians, gang violence, Haiti’s history of colonization and revolution, Christianity and voodoo. But all of these issues are seen through the lens of one poor family living in Port au-Prince. This is a charming and beautiful film. Through its many layers, we get a sense of just how complex this society is. But the director is never pedantic or hectoring. It is more of a character study than it is plot driven. But the pacing and rhythm keep us engaged throughout. The director deftly introduces us to each character, allows us to get to know them, and then gradually widens the scope to allow us to see how each character represents a point of view on the most important social and political issues facing Haiti today. It might be going too far to say that the characters serve as allegories, but, in the case of Freda’s mother at least, I don’t think this is too far from the truth.
But, to start at the beginning. We meet Freda, her sister, brother and mother who all live behind the small shop that supports the family. Freda’s brother is Yeshua and her sister is Esther. These are both Biblical names, while Freda is a voodoo name. Geraldine, the mother, converted to Christianity after Freda was born. Throughout the film we see the tension between Christianity, voodoo and Rastafarianism. The issue of religion is inevitably bound up with Haiti’s colonial past. Freda herself is a university student, and through her classes we witness discussions about the nation’s past, future and language. That is until the teachers go on strike and leave the students to their own devices.
The real core of this film, though, is the question of whether and how far one should stick with one’s own family and one’s own country. The family are saving up to send Yeshua away to South America for a better future. Esther, meanwhile, who is younger than Freda and considered to be more attractive, is actively looking for a wealthy man to carry her away. In pursuit of that goal, Esther, encouraged by her mother, uses creams to whiten her skin. She’s dating a cool, artsy intellectual Rasta man. But when a better opportunity seems to present itself, she ghosts her boyfriend at the drop of a hat. The man she finds is wealthy and influential and Esther’s mother is overjoyed, despite the obvious warning signs.
Freda, meanwhile, has an artist boyfriend of her own. He’s recently returned to Port au-Prince after living for a time in the Dominical Republic on the other side of the island. He’s been with Freda for five years, and wants her to go to Santo Domingo with her. But she’s not sure she wants to go. Her boyfriend is fed up with Haiti after being caught up in the gang violence that pervades the city. But this is not because he is a gangster himself. He was shot in the stomach while sleeping in his own bed. Over the course of the film, the inhabitants of the city must take refuge and lock themselves in their homes when the bullets start flying. These moments are treated almost like passing rain storms by the characters; these things occasionally happen and all you can do is seek shelter until the storm passes.
So why does Freda, unlike her sister or brother want to stay? She is, more than the others, quite conventional. A good daughter stays with her family and doesn’t abandon her homeland. This attitude becomes more and more perplexing as we see that her brother and sister will likely be long gone. And, as we slowly learn, her relationship with her mother has a very dark side.
In fact, Freda’s mother Geraldine was, for me at least, the most fascinating character. She does what she can to find Freda a waitressing job despite the fact that Freda is in school. Geraldine doesn’t hold out much hope that a university degree will help Freda much. As mentioned, she’s also quite eager for her other two children to escape any way they can, even if this means her daughter will be married to a thug. Is she just selfish? Is she just hoping to benefit from her children’s improved status? There could be noble motives here, but we also see Geraldine laughing hysterically at the serious misfortune of her own niece. Geraldine overall comes across as an unpleasant and selfish woman who isn’t really looking out for her children’s best interest. In a way, she parallels the country. She has a damaged history and is not very good for her children. Deep down she knows that the only way for her offspring to succeed is for them to get as far away from her as possible. She’s both a victim, but also a cause of real anguish, at least for Freda.
It is the relationship between Freda and her mother, and by proxy, between Freda and Haiti that really drives this film and gives it its power. Freda gradually becomes more aware of this situation and must decide how to move forward. Will she look for her own prince charming? Will she look for work in another country? She wears a shirt with the words “Hawaii, California, Miami” on it. Will she try to escape to one of these sunny locales? One way or another, she is forced to take a hard look at Haiti and her mother and to decide whether she can accept them or not.
Geneus could have taken the route that we see in many films about southern Italy, for example, putting the gangs and violence on center stage. The film could have been more flashy. But that would have robbed it of its thoughtfulness. This is a heart-wrenching and brilliantly written and directed film that deserves a large audience.
© 2021. UniversalCinema Mag.