Koutkekout – At All Kosts by Joseph Hillel

SYMPOSIUM DAY ZERO – GUEST SESSION THREE
Film Screening, 16:00-17:30
In Haiti, in a time of cholera and street gangs, artists are choosing dance, music and theatre as an act of resistance. Born after the Duvalier dictatorship, these artists have lived through 19 presidents, 36 prime ministers, eight coups d’état, three international military interventions and two major earthquakes. Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, the country has been abandoned to the criminality of gangs who terrorize the population.
Still, these artists are ready to brave any danger to get on stage. They gravitate to a unique creative space in Haiti and the Caribbean: the Festival 4 Chemins, directed by Guy Régis Jr and held every year in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince — at all costs. In a verdant urban lakou with a flowing river, theatre comes to life for ten days. In Haiti, lakou refers to the common space used by several neighbouring houses that share a central courtyard.
In this space of freedom, another face of Haiti emerges: not just that of a country tormented by a cruel history, but one envisioned by artists who rely on their talent to survive and (re)build a future for themselves and their country. History, their own stories, poetry and performances are all intertwined. In Haiti, theatre is everywhere: in the streets, in vodou, in politics. Through their art, between Haiti’s mythologies and harsh realities, they will tell us At All Kosts. It is about the resistance and courage of a people.

Koutkekout – At All Kosts (Canada, 2024, 84 min. French and Haitian Creole with English subtitles). Written, directed and produced by Joseph Hillel. Featuring Néhémie Bastien, Erthon Edmond, Frankétienne, Nathania Péricles, Guy Régis Jr, Schneiderson, René, Staloff Tropfort, Youyou

SYMPOSIUM DAY ZERO – GUEST SESSION FOUR
Worldmaking Matters At All Kosts
Artist Conversation & Audience Discussion with Filmmaker Joseph Hillel, 17:30-18:30
In this conversation, Joseph Hillel (filmmaker, CA) and Doris Posch (researcher and curator, AT and SE) engage in a dialogue on the complexities of worldmaking processes in view of political, social, and ecological challenges. We explore various forms of knowledge and artistic practices in relation to social relations and the living world in Haiti, the Caribbean and beyond. We reflect on the question how we can envision possible futures through artistic practices that rely on resilience and solidarity, as an eventual act of resistance.

This conversation is followed by an audience discussion on the film Koutkekout – At All Kosts.

Joseph Hillel was born in Port-au-Prince and lives in Montreal. He writes, directs, and produces documentary films. Among these, Regular or Super offers insights into the work of architect Mies van der Rohe, while Karsh Is History presents a portrait of the renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh. Ayiti Toma is a journey into Haiti’s rich history and culture. City Dreamers, introduces us to four great architects, inspiring pioneers. His most recent feature-length documentary At All Kosts (2024) is his second film shot in Haiti.
https://www.josephhillelfilm.com/en-koutkekout
https://www.instagram.com/josephillel