Children of Haiti

Filmmaker Alexandria Hammond's fearlessly probing documentary—aired on PBS's Independent Lens series—winds its way around Cap-Haitien and Haiti's northern coast, focusing on a group of adolescent boys who scrounge and scrape for a living by day and sleep in the city streets at night. Children of Haiti lets these often intelligent, preternaturally streetwise kids tell their own tale, thereby illuminating the broader unfortunate story of contemporary Haiti, a crumbling island nation where 90 percent of the schools are private (and serve only the offspring of the most privileged residents), some 12,000 U.N. troops remain stationed to maintain the peace, and the most desirable tourist beaches are closed to locals during the week. Although the featured subjects don't engage in unlawful behavior, they are treated like criminals by the police and local gangs. Often, these kids are simply coping with a bad family situation—trying to hunt down odd jobs to help their mother make up for an absent (or dead) father. Children of Haiti not only offers insights into what makes these young people tick but also presents a broader panorama of Haitian life, with its corrupt politicians, extreme income gap between rich and poor, and sadly neglected economic infrastructure. Despite all the negative aspects, the film takes an upswing toward the end, suggesting that there may actually be hope among the ruins for these brave youngsters. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)