By: Staff Writer
April 9, 2021
A Haitian movie director/producer said that the resiliency of the Haitian people inspires him to create the movies that he does and what has inspired his new project, The Ransom.
Jonas Nosile, producer/director of the upcoming movie, The Ransom, told Caribbean Magazine Plus about his inspiration for filmmaking.
Mr Nosile said: “ I’m inspired by the History of Haiti and the resiliency of the Haitian people, these Africans brought to the Caribbean, pour their soul into the sugar cane plantation and take a stand against slavery and racism by way of revolt In 1791, the greatest slave revolt unprecedented in human history occurred on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
“The same island where Columbus first laid claim to the New World had now become the first black Republic in the world. This slave revolt was the pivotal shift in the Atlantic Slave Trade and would set off a chain of events that would result in the end of slavery in Britain, France, and the United States decades later and create the first black republic of free black people in the world.
“I believe that The Ransom is not only a Haitian success story but the story of every Afro-Caribbean and I continue to be inspired by my people. My own Father left Haiti in the late 1970’s to immigrate to Florida in order to ensure a better future for the family, he had nothing but the clothes on his back, through hard work he ended up providing a better life for the family.
“Even the Haitians living in despair and poverty in Haiti constantly keep asking their authorities for jobs and opportunities, those with minimal skills sell water in the street, those who can paint, draw their sorrow on the canvas, the desperate one take up arms/gun spreading terror in the street: But what if opportunities were available ? The Haitians continue to inspire me, they don’t ask for much, they only ask for dignity, an opportunity to earn a daily bread.”
Talking about his new work, The Ransom, Nosile believes that this is a very “unique” film about the African Caribbean and it is not just for Haitians. He said: “My goal is for this film to reach audiences worldwide and make a long lasting positive impact for years come. My vision for The Ransom is for it to be re-running on Cable TV and streams in homes around the world enjoyed annually, as a staple, a reminder of the difficult past especially in black history month and celebration of freedom around the world.”
The budget for the Ransom came in at just about $3m US, with production spanning across the Western Hemisphere including Haiti, Panama and the US.
“Before I produce a film or documentary film, even before I delved in deep into researching the subject, the scenes are playing back in fourth in my mind, I can envision the characters, the locations and everything else. I can see it all in my mind. Then when I really want to get in the zone, I play some dramatic film soundtrack such as ‘Duduk of the North’ or ‘To honour him’ from the movie Gladiator sound track,” said Nosile.
The movie itself, Nosile’s third and first feature film as the previous two were documentaries, is about a wealthy expatriate reluctantly visiting Haiti on family business and is kidnapped. But her ransom requires more than just money. She must travel back in time to reckon with her family’s complicity in Haiti’s tragic and violent history, and face the truth about her own estrangement from her homeland.
Mr Nosile said that people should expect from The Ransom to not expect to have white-washed history shoved to them. He said: “I believe that audiences are no longer satisfied with watching a white-washed version of history with white saviors and helpless black side-characters. The audience will be taken into a journey to witness the African Experience in the Caribbean as they became heroes, the founding fathers of a larger struggle against slavery and racism. The Ransom honors them and showcases their stories while inspiring audiences to feel pride in their ancestors, strive for justice, and bring peace to us all.
The ransom will be available on all the major Streaming Platforms such as Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu and the other streaming platforms as well as made available on DVD and Blu-ray Discs.
Expressing his concern about the state of Haitian affairs now Mr Nosile said that: “I feel for my brothers and sisters in Haiti right now, but I believe the problem is a lack of leadership. I think that Haitian people are being led by leaders who do not understand how to lead and how democracy works, I truly believe it will take leaders from the diaspora who have witnessed first-hand the rule of law and democracy in action in order to get Haiti out of this difficult crossroad.”
Nosile, now living in Boston, Massachusets, USA said that it is his dream to return to Haiti because he “loves” home. He added: “My dream is to one day to go back and settle down, but every political coup and the ensuing turmoil has set that dream far back, but I still have hope.”
Describing his escape from Haiti as being fortunate, Nosile said: “I was lucky enough to have my father apply for on my behalf to immigrate to the United States back in 1990’s. But my advice to aspiring young artists is keep crafting your art, keep crafting your stories.
“Thank God for technology. We don’t need massive equipment anymore to tell a beautiful story, your “originality” and a small Mirrorless camera in the case of film making will take you a long way to help you express your story, so go ahead and be yourself, tell your story no matter what!
Nosile describes himself as being a very “simple guy,” with a tendency to question everything. “I love culture particularly Caribbean and African culture. I live life to the fullest and take nothing for granted. I love history, I love movies, I love music and most importantly, I love people,” he added.