The Oscar-nominated director of 2016’s popular “I Am Not Your Negro”, Raoul Peck, is currently working on his most recent documentary, which will examine the death of Haitian President Jovenel Moise in 2021.
The film, which has the working title The Hands the Held the Knives, is being directed and produced by Peck under the Velvet Films label in collaboration with Jigsaw Productions. The movie is being funded by Imagine Documentaries, Anonymous Content, and Double Agent.
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The assassination of President Moise is not only a mystery to the citizens of Haiti who have lost their beloved president, but it also triggered a surge in violence by gang members who terrorize the capital Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
It is said that Peck’s perspective is a “documentary thriller, in the tradition of Graham Greene or John Le Carré.” The film will take viewers right up to the present, according to the producers, and Peck is delving deeply into Haitian politics, the country’s relationship with the US, and the unscrupulous corporations and criminal groups that have turned Haiti into a hellscape for its people, “as ruthless gangs backed by oligarchs with well-paid lobbyists in Washington, D.C. now control 80% of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.”
In addition to Moise’s murder, the emergence and dominance of violent gangs have further destabilized Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere plagued by dictatorships, political turmoil, and earthquakes. Ariel Henry, the current prime minister, is presently stranded in Puerto Rico.
Peck expressed his excitement for his project, “I am eager to tell my country’s real story beyond the usual exotic clichés and preposterous clickbait.” He further noted, “I want to reveal for once, without holding back, the core stories and real reasons for Haiti’s tragic situation.”
According to the producers, Peck has been working on the project for more than two years, having reportedly had unparalleled access to several of the participants. Secret filming took place in Haitian jails, and there was an unexpected run-in with a wanted person who was a witness to the murder.
Following the trials of the individuals involved, filming is still going on in Haiti, the United States, Canada, France, and North Africa.
Gibney produces items for Jigsaw. Producing as well is Blair Foster. Imagine’s Sara Bernstein is in charge of executive producing. David Levine and Jessica Grimshaw serve as executive producers, along with Nick Shumaker of Anonymous Content. Double Agent is produced by Dana O’Keefe, with executive production from Teddy Schwarzman, Yariv Milchan, and Michael Heimler.
