“Mountains” by Monica Sorelle to open at BAM Film 2024 following Tribeca debut

Monica Sorelle’s directorial debut, Mountains, continues to make waves following its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival this past June. The film is set to open as part of BAM Film 2024, with screenings beginning on August 23 at BAM Rose Cinemas in Brooklyn, New York.

As part of BAM Film 2024, Mountains will be co-presented by the Haiti Cultural Exchange. 

Mountains tells the story of Xavier (Atibon Nazaire), a Haitian demolition worker in Miami’s Little Haiti. As Xavier dismantles old houses, he witnesses his neighborhood being eroded by gentrification and redevelopment. His wife, Esperance (Sheila Anozier), juggles two jobs to support their household, while their son, Junior (Chris Renois), has recently returned home after dropping out of college. Junior’s artistic aspirations and struggle to balance his American identity with his Haitian roots create tension between him and his father, who dreams of buying a new home for the family.

The film’s narrative, which intertwines themes of identity, displacement, and generational conflict, has resonated with audiences and critics alike. It earned a Special Jury Mention at the Tribeca Festival and was nominated for two Film Independent Spirit Awards, with Sorelle winning in the Someone to Watch category. The film has also been recognized at various American film festivals, showcasing the talent of Sorelle and her team.

Special Q&A sessions with the filmmakers and actors will follow the 6:40 p.m. screenings on Friday, August 23, and Saturday, August 24. 

Régine Roumain, founder and executive director of the Haiti Cultural Exchange, will moderate the Aug. 23 Q&A, which will feature Sorelle, co-writer and producer Robert Colom, and lead actors Atibon Nazaire and Sheila Anozier. The August 24 Q&A will be moderated by filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu (Mother of George) and will also include actors Atibon Nazaire and Sheila Anozier.

Screenings will occur from Aug. 23 through Aug. 25, with multiple daily showtimes at the Peter Jay Sharp Building’s BAM Rose Cinemas. The film is presented in Haitian Creole, English, and Spanish, with English subtitles.

For more information or screening times, click here.

On June 9, 2024, Monica Sorelle’s directorial debut, Mountains, had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival.

Mountains follows Haitian immigrant Xavier (Atibon Nazaire) who lives in Miami with his wife, Esperance (Sheila Anoziere), and his son, Junior (Chris Renois) . Xavier works in demolition where he spends his days tearing down houses and watching his tight-knit community unravel as a result of gentrification and redevelopment. Xavier works constantly and tirelessly all in efforts of buying a home for him and Esperance, who has to work two jobs to also support her household. While Xavier and Esperance have embraced their communities and identities as Haitian immigrants, their son, Junior, who recently dropped out of college and moved back home, faces a different reality. Unlike his parents, Junior was born in the United States; all his life he has been surrounded by American culture, ideals and ways of life. Junior constantly relegated his Haitian culture and identity to the periphery reflecting his desire to fit in and immerse himself fully in American society. The several stories unfold simultaneously throughout Mountain make it a film that is both multigenerational and multifaceted. 

Sorelle is Haitian-American filmmaker and artist that, according to her website “explores alienation and displacement, and preserves cultural traditions within Miami & the Caribbean with a focus on the African & Latin diasporas that reside there” through all her films and art. In Mountains, particularly, it is clear that Sorelle placed an emphasis on bringing the stories and lives of this Haitian community and family to the forefront. 

Since its premiere, Mountains has gotten nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards: Best Breakthrough Performance for Nazaire and Someone to Watch for Sorelle, which she ended up winning. The film has also received a Special Jury Mention  at the Tribeca Festival and went on to have its international premiere at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival).

Mountains was released on Aug 16, 2024 with Music Box Films.

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