“Jean Gentil narrates the struggles—both material and philosophical—of an educated, deeply religious Haitian immigrant as he travels throughout the Dominican Republic, in search of work as well as a deeper meaning. centering on the remarkable figure of Jean Remy Genty, playing a role closely modeled on his own life, the film traces his path from the city of Santo Domingo into the countryside, as this former French teacher is forced to find any possible means of subsistence.
“Though possessed of a profound dignity and stoicism, he is nevertheless severely tested by discrimination, exploitation, loneliness, and despair. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Guzmán and Cárdenas, along with the deeply compelling Genty, have created a remarkable portrait of a man struggling to survive, not only financially but spiritually, in a harsh world.” —Anthology Film Archives
JEAN GENTIL
A film by Laura Amelia Guzmán & Israel Cárdenas
(Dominican Republic/Mexico/Germany, 2010, 84 min. In Spanish and Haitian Creole with English subtitles)
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