Episode 38 - Jacquil Constant - “That’s How I Knew”

Black FilmmakersBlack DirectorsHaitian FilmmakersFilm Festivals

Feb 28

February 28, 2022

In this episode, I speak with a friend, filmmaker, and professor, Jacquil Constant. During our conversation, we chat about our time working on Bridging the Divide: Tom Bradley and the Politics of Race, BADWest, and his documentary short, Haiti is a Nation of Artists. We also talk about his Haitian heritage and the festival he founded which is now in its seventh year, the Haiti International Film Festival - how he started it and how it has grown even during the past few pandemic years. Starting a film festival from scratch is no small feat and Jacquil is truly a man with a vision, that’s why this episode’s song is Nipsey Hussell’s “That’s How I Knew.” Our conversation was recorded in January 2022.

Photo Credit: Jerome Thomas

[Image Description: Jacquil is pictured from the chest up. He wears a beige Kangol cap and a yellow and white patterned shirt over a white t-shirt. He smiles as he looks slightly to the side.]

Haiti International Film Festival Logo

[Image Description: The words “Haiti International Film Festival” are capitalized and superimposed over a rectangle divided in half. One half is red and the other half is blue. To the left is a black film strip.]

About Jacquil

As the Founder and Executive Director, Jacquil leads the development, promotion, and implementation of all festival activities including strategic partnerships, fundraising, marketing, and priority setting. Through his work, he has successfully elevated the works of emerging and established filmmakers who seek to show a positive and authentic image of Haiti. His passion for Haitian film and art fueled him to create a platform that was absent in Hollywood's film industry. Through his work, he has reached a diverse national and international audience that shares his love of Haiti.

Jacquil’s career spans over twenty years in the independent filmmaking industry and his credits include networks such as MTV, BET, VH1, and PBS where he worked in various capacities including production, post-production, and casting of reality television shows. He holds a Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Pan African Studies and Cinema-Television and Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production from California State University Northridge.

About the Haiti International Film Festival

The Haiti International Film Festival is the premier platform that showcases quality films in Hollywood, California. We are a niche film festival that specializes in portraying the humanity of Haitian culture through the curation of amazing films from the Haitian Diaspora such as short films, documentaries, and feature films. We are the HBO for Haitian films displaying the humanity of Haitian culture. The Haiti International Film Festival (HIFF) was established in 2015 and is a non-profit corporation with a 501(c)(3) status. The mission is to showcase positive images of Haitian culture through film and art.

The goal of the HIFF is to inform diverse audiences about the rich culture of the Haitian diaspora through innovative cinema. Through outreach and collaboration with emerging and established filmmakers, we not only teach and conduct workshops. We also hold a yearly film festival that builds a stronger ecosystem for Haitian filmmakers through partnerships with non-profit organizations and educational institutions to make a bigger impact in Hollywood and Haiti.