Liberty in a Soup (Dudley Alexis, 2015) Haiti

Reviewed by Alicia Huhn. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2017.

World Premier

Dudley Alexis is to be applauded as the truly independent filmmaker of his first film “Liberty in a Soup!” Soup Joumou is an Haitian tradition for all to emulate and one that I am very much looking forward to make and taste! This is a very beautifully told and important story for the world to hear. Dudley Alexis has made himself a masterful storyteller by taking us on a journey of love and triumph and victory with the Haitian Revolution. This beautiful tradition of a pumpkin soup is born literally out of the blood sweat and tears of many kind souls enduring in the name of love and humanity and all that is good in us as humans. The soup is a celebratory feast shared by all in Haiti on the first of January since 1804. Wait 1804? That is 64 years earlier than the emancipation of slaves in the American south! The history lesson continues in the film with the tale of the importance of the soup and success of the people and the revolution. This is a side of Haiti that the popular news media does not cover. This is not a story of devastation of an island but of the triumph of a people. A story for all people. The theme of independence for this film is aptly demonstrated by Dudley Alexis’ personal journey of creating the film completely on his own dime and time. A truly independent film if ever there was one. The story unfolds with colorful footage of the country, interviews with people and traveling to the city of Gonaïves (gaw-na-eev). The city known as Haiti’s beloved City of Independence, named so because it was there that Jean-Jaques Desalines declared Haiti independent from France on January 1, 1804. As Dudley cheerfully admits he was surprised to discover along the way researching his own history how many women fought so bravely for freedom. Women leading battalions to freedom such as Sanité Belair who served as a lieutenant and when ordered to be beheaded demanded to die like a soldier in a firing squad, and did. Finally, it was Marie Claire Heureuse Félicité Bonheur Dessalines who declared since January 1, 1804 that all people will eat and share soup together to signify their independence from France and from slavery. Marie Claire had always been known for her protection of the people and medical aid during the war.  Formerly soup was a French dish served only to the french and slaves where not allowed to partake. Soup was considered for “civilized people” and was made and served by the slaves but never eaten. Dudley Alexis in his Q and A remarked how crazy it is that a slave could be permitted to kill a whole deer and bar-b-q for his family but not eat soup! So upon the declaration of independence by her husband Jean-Jaques Desalines, Marie Claire Desalines also declared that everyone shall now enjoy soup together. The other important aspect of the tradition is the actual sharing of the soup. Everyone makes a soup to share but nobody eats the soup they made because everyone is so busy sharing it with someone else. The soup that is shared by a family member or neighbor is enjoyed more than the one they made because the tradition is to share so that all may partake. It is a day of remembering your neighbor and making sure that all have soup! I have to say that this was a beautifully made film and ranks as a top film among other important civil rights films as Malcolm X, and I am Not Your Negro.

Here is the recipe from the website!  Enjoy!

http://www.libertyinasoup.com/soup-joumou/