Author: Newsroom
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (December 6, 2021) – Acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola has joined Gessica Généus’ debut narrative film, FREDA, as Executive Producer. The Creole-language feature made its world premiere earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard, and is only the second film in Haiti’s history to be submitted for the Academy Awards® in the category of Best International Feature Film.
“‘Freda’ is the kind of cinematic experience I value most: a journey into a way of life not normally accessible to me, providing insight about the real people who live in it. Gessica Généus’ film is an unforgettable jewel told with simple eloquence, beautifully memorable performances, and genuine feeling that few films ever achieve,” said Coppola. “This glimpse of contemporary life in Haiti shows a people who refuse to be defined by their tragic moments and who thrive with good hearts and best intentions. It is my humble honor to serve as the Executive Producer of ‘Freda’ in support of Gessica and the wonderfully creative and artistic film community in Haiti.”
Coppola is a long-time advocate of Haitian cinema and a patron of the Artists Institute of Haiti, a private foundation dedicated to educating its youth in the cinematic arts and empowering the country’s film and music industries at the national level and on the international stage. Coppola was among the organization’s original donors when its Ciné Institute film school first opened in 2008 and ever since, he has remained committed to its support annually. The Artists Institute is a backbone of the film community in Haiti. Many graduates served on the crew during the production FREDA. Together with SaNoSi Productions and a network of Haitian women, it is supporting FREDA’s qualification and submission as the country’s second-ever entry into the Oscars race (the first being “Ayiti Mon Amour” in 2017).