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Father Cesar

Serenading Haiti – An Interview with Father Cesar

March 12, 2017 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Directed by the award-winning documentary filmmaker Owsley Brown (Night Waltz: The Music of Paul Bowles; Music Makes a City), Serenade for Haiti (Serenad pou Ayiti) reveals a side of the country that is often misunderstood by the rest of the world. By focusing its lens on Father Cesar and his dedicated staff at Sainte Trinite Music School, this documentary reveals the burgeoning artistic side of the children of Haiti and their commitment to hope. Raised on the grounds of Sainte Trinite, Father Cesar has fond memories of his early childhood at the music school.

“My mother was a teacher at the Elementary School,” he remembers. “So I was always at Sainte Trinite.  The director of the school—she was my godmother.  I was in her office all the time, with her kids.  I went to Sainte Trinite to study and started with music [when I was] two years old.  It was the beginning of a long journey.”

Having grown up in the school, it is not unexpected that Father Cesar would be so passionate about music.  However, what one might find surprising is that his passion for music stems from its impact on the lives of the children themselves.  In fact, he believes that the gift of music offers hope to children that they might not find elsewhere.

“I use myself as an example,” he begins. “If it didn’t have Sainte Trinite to play music, I could be on the streets.  Music gave me the confidence to meet other people, to work with other people, to work in harmony and discipline.  It’s what the music does.”

“Music is so important for Haitians.  It is a part of our lives.  When we are happy, we sing.  When we are sad, we sing.  We dance.  It’s a part of our lives.  Music will never stop.  Whatever the situation.”

Of course, when most North Americans think of Haiti, they immediately associate the country with the devastating earthquake that struck in January 2010, leaving millions in poverty.  Originally titled the Sainte Trinite School Complex, the music school also once housed an elementary and trade school as well. With a heavy heart, Father Cesar is saddened by the many ways in which that day changed their lives.

“I can remember that day…,” Father Cesar recalls.  “It was very difficult for us because we had just spent $3.5 Million for infrastructure for the school… and we lost all of that during the earthquake.  During the earthquake, 50 people were at the music school and 2 people died.  We didn’t know how we’d get out, if we got out.  We would have died.  Three days afterwards, you could hear voices trapped in the rubble in the trade school [that is associated with Sainte Trinite].  We could not say how many people died at the trade school.  Could be 200.  Could be 300… We lost also instruments and the only music hall of the whole country.  We lost everything.”

With this in mind, he also believes that films like Serenade for Haiti can help provide a fresh perspective of hope within Haitian culture, not only to their own people but to the world as well.  To him, the musical heart of the culture is essential to the nation’s healing, and creating a more positive image to those around the globe.

“This is what this film can show.  What we did before the earthquake, the challenges afterward.  And this is what this film can show—how music can make a difference… and to show what we are doing.”

Says Father Cesar, “Many people are shocked that, after the earthquake, we got together three days later with the teachers and I said, ‘We have to do something because now our people needs us as musicians.’ So, we started to play in different cities.  After the earthquake, we used the music as a kind of therapy for our people and, at the same time, as I said to our teachers, this is what we can do.  This is what we can bring to our people.  This is what we can give… We try to find talent and to have the music in different schools… and to show another image of Haiti to the culture through music.”

Most importantly, however, he may actually be seeing the results of his hard work as well.  By passionately pursuing the healing power of music within his culture, Father Cesar has witnessed interest in the school explode in recent years, as people search for hope in a time of challenge and change.

“[Since the earthquake], we have more people asking to be a part of the music school…  We have had challenges with the lack of instruments and space since the earthquake.  It is a challenging time and a transition time.  Everyone accepts the situation and we try to focus on the music.”

In doing so, Father Cesar and his dedicated team continue to show that, not only is there hope in the midst of strife, they also make beautiful music together.

 

Serenade for Haiti is currently touring the festival circuit.

Filed Under: Film, Interviews, Reviews Tagged With: Father Cesar, Haiti, Miami Film Festival, music, Serenade for Haiti

Serenade for Haiti: Can the Arts Save Your Soul?

February 17, 2017 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

“Music is in us.  It is in our lives.  It cannot disappear.  That would be like the end of life.”

– Father Cesar, Serenade for Haiti

Directed by the award-winning documentary filmmaker Owsley Brown (Night Waltz: The Music of Paul Bowles; Music Makes a City), Serenade for Haiti (Serenad pou Ayiti) reveals a side of the country that is often misunderstood by the rest of the world.  Filmed over a seven-year period that began before the earthquake of 2010, Serenade illustrates the powerful role that music, art and education can play in developing and empowering the youth of a nation.  By focusing its lens on Father Cesar and his dedicated staff at Sainte Trinite Music School, this documentary reveals the burgeoning artistic side of the children of Haiti and their commitment to hope.

However, Serenade for Haiti is not merely about the film’s bursting culture and musical talent.  Instead, the film is intent on Haiti’s quest to discover and express its soul.  Despite the vibrancy and colour of the nation, Cesar also reminds us that ‘there is a shadow’ that follows it.  Repeatedly throughout the film, we are reminded of the suffering and anguish that the Haitian people have experienced in recent years.  From politically-rooted violence in the streets to the vicious earthquake of 2010, the nation has found themselves torn apart by fear and bloodshed.

However, herein lies the very heart of Serenade.

In the midst of the pain, Father Cesar and his team recognize that, by teaching the arts to their children, they find a healthy manner of creative expression.  In fact, for Cesar, the arts are not merely a distraction from the country’s social challenges, but potentially the solution to them.  While many children do not have the ability to express their feelings through words, they manage to reveal their hearts via song and paintbrush.  In doing so, they find new hope and life through their creativity.  Like a small plant shooting up from the ashes, music and the arts have become a beacon of hope for the children in the midst of suffering.

Undoubtedly, Serenade paints this creative outburst as a spiritual breakthrough for a nation looking for answers.  As God establishes hope by creating all things new, so too does this expression demonstrate an echo of His image within the people.  In light of this, while the arts may not ‘save one’s soul’, they certainly allow us to connect with the heartbeat of God in a manner that allows for healing and growth.  Repeatedly in Scripture, we see that music is a response to and recognition of the beauty of God.  It is life-affirming and demonstrates an incomprehensible comprehension of His glory that brings wholeness to our soul.

In Serenade for Haiti, we get to see the restorative nature of music first-hand within the eyes of children who have seen the depths of hurt.  In the midst of their suffering, they seek beauty.

And that leads to Hope.

 

Serenade for Haiti is currently making the rounds on the festival circuit.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: documentary, earthquake, Father Cesar, Festival, film festival, Haiti, hope, music, Owsley Brown, school, Serenade for Haiti

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