Haitian documentary explores migration through the journey of a dancer

Editorial note: The Haitian Times is a media sponsor of the film’s premiere.

A new documentary by Haitian filmmaker Pascale Solages will bring the story of migration, displacement and resilience to the screen through the life of Haitian dancer Steeven Labady when it premieres July 25 at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.

Born to Dance. Forced to Run. follows Labady’s journey from Haiti to the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Germany and the United States, documenting the challenges he faced while seeking safety, legal stability and a place to belong. The documentary combines interviews, archival footage and dance performances to examine migration as a human experience rather than a political talking point.

Throughout the film, dance serves as the thread connecting Labady’s experiences across continents. The documentary portrays movement as both an artistic practice and a means of survival, showing how he used dance to preserve his identity while navigating discrimination, violence, economic hardship and uncertain immigration status.

Solages, a Haitian filmmaker, feminist and human rights activist, said the project grew from a graduate assignment at The New School, where she initially envisioned it as a short film. 

“Too often, we talk about migration through numbers, policies, and political debates, while forgetting the human beings behind those headlines. When I met Steeven, I saw not only the story of a Haitian migrant, but the story of an artist fighting to preserve his identity, dignity, and dreams despite being forced to cross borders again and again,” Solages said in an interview with The Haitian Times.

“As a filmmaker, feminist, and migrant myself, I felt a responsibility to tell that story with honesty and humanity.”

The documentary also highlights Labady’s accomplishments as an artist. He began studying Haitian traditional folklore and modern dance in Haiti before earning a scholarship to continue his training in the Dominican Republic, where he became the first Haitian graduate of the country’s National School of Dance. His career later expanded to Switzerland, Germany and performances across Europe and North America.

The film is produced by Guerline Jozef, co-founder and executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, along with Little Haiti BK and VOICES Productions. 

Jozef, a longtime immigrant rights advocate, has received international recognition for her work on migration and racial justice.

“My commitment remains rooted in advancing dignity, justice, and transformative change for the communities we serve—communities that have too often been ignored, marginalized, and denied their humanity,” Jozef said in a statement after receiving the Women Impact–Afro-Caribbean Diaspora Award from the Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance.

The official premiere is scheduled for 6 p.m. July 25 at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. The screening will be followed by a live performance, panel discussion and community reception. Panelists are expected to include Solages, Labady, Jozef, journalist and director of photography Ralph Thomassaint Joseph, and moderator Stacey Samuels.

“My hope is that viewers leave the film seeing migration differently, as a human experience shaped by resilience, love, loss, and hope,” Solages said, “ [and] the film sparks conversations about the responsibility we all share in protecting the dignity and rights of migrants, while reminding Haitians that our stories deserve to be told by us, in all their complexity.”

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