Amazon.com
Jonathan Demme has always had a thing for Haiti. With The Agronomist, the Oscar winning director of The Silence of the Lambs takes his Haitian passion for a serious and considerably more personal turn in a documentary profiling journalist and radio pioneer Jean Dominique. Demme first became intrigued by Dominique in 1991 when he undertook a series of informal video interviews. He returned to his subject many times over the next decade, sometimes in Haiti and sometimes during extended periods when Dominique was in the U.S., a political exile from his homeland. When Demme began his documentary, he certainly couldn't have planned for its end--the assassination of Dominique outside his Port au Prince radio station in 2000. As The Agronomist makes clear, it was a blatantly political crime and one that remains unsolved. The title refers to Dominique's original vocation helping farmers in the rural communities of Haiti. He came from the upper classes, but continued his battles in representing his country's poor and dispossessed even as his career path changed to professional broadcaster. As operator of the independent Radio Haiti Inter from 1960 until his death, Dominique became a hero to the masses and a frequent enemy of the government. In extensive interview segments, Dominique exudes the charismatic good humor and mischievous zeal that brought him fame and infamy from the various constituents of Haiti's notorious political landscape. An impish, animated figure with sparkling eyes and naughty grin, Dominique gleefully or angrily recounts confrontations with the authority of Haiti's Duvalier father-and-son dictators, and later the Aristide regime. The Agronomist is very much a homemade affair, but by no means amateurish. Using mostly raw camcorder video, Demme makes a stylish statement with his visuals and Dominique's words. He also gets plenty of help from a sensational soundtrack by another beloved Haitian hero, Wyclef Jean. The Agronomist is an apt history lesson about Haiti's legacy of political turmoil and a powerful testimonial about patriotism in the face of oppression. --Ted Fry
Description
The life of Haitian radio journalist and human rights activist, Jean Dominique, told through historical footage of Haiti; interviews with Dominique and his wife, Michele Montas; and footage shot before his assassination in April 2000.
Customer Reviews:
Death was not a defeat for this man.......2007-08-13
This is one of the most inspiring documentaries I've ever seen coming from my country. Jean Dominique's unparalleled quest for freedom really made my day and deepened my enormous respect for such idealists. Jonathan Demme creates a film that is no less absorbing and considerably more powerful. The film focuses on Jean Dominique, a Haitian radio station owner, journalist, and tireless human rights activist. Dominique was born to the thin upper crust of Haiti but turned his back on that class to advocate for the poor and landless. Exiled twice to America (in 1980 and 1991), he returned to Haiti both times to press for democracy and land reform. He was assassinated in April 2000, a deep loss for the Haitian people and the world.
The film stitches together interviews Demme did with Jean Dominique over several years. Even from that grainy footage, it is apparent how charismatic Dominique was. His excitement is infectious; when he opens wide his eyes and smiles, we can't help but smile with him. At various stages, he talks about the "risky business" of operating a free radio station in a dictatorship, and we're inspired to undertake our own risky business in search of freedom. What's particularly impressive (and appealing) about Dominique is his indefatigable optimism. But when he talks about the CIA's role in his country, we're reminded of why giving that institution too much power (even in this age of terrorism) might not be such a good thing. His invitation to join his struggle along with his honesty and strength could not be bent. Only bullets could (and did) stop him.
Another extremely touching aspect of his story is the level of bonding they had with his wife. It is such a rarity and such a wonderful thing to happen, that you cannot but feel happy that these two people have met and enjoyed their life together.
"The Agronomist" is far from a perfect film. Demme, who has directed such movies as "Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia," skips over important events and large blocks of time. Those not intimately familiar with Haiti's recent past may find it difficult to keep up. There is also a lack of context at certain points: what role have the various militias played? how has President Aristide affected the country and how has power changed him? By focusing so completely on the charismatic figure of Dominique, the documentary sometimes loses its way.
Still, this is a rare glimpse into a country that's again in the news. As Dominique himself states, "Cinema is a window on to the world...If you see a film correctly, the grammar of the film is a political act."
***Haiti remains the hemisphere's poorest nation, multiply burdened by unforgiving debt as well as increasing inability even to structure or even imagine another, more hopeful future. How sad Dominique would be to see what has happened in the seven years since his murder. And yet, how fiercely and relentlessly he would continue to fight for that hope. Indeed, how fierce and beautiful he remains in this film, a call for resistance against injustices both general and devastatingly specific.****
powerful and compelling.............2007-05-25
Though, I know of filmmaker Jonathan Demme (known best for THE CRYING GAME, among other films), I have never seen any of the films from his extensive body of work. What's more, I knew even less of Haiti. It was time that I receive an education, I felt, and what better way to do this than through viewing an intense and engrossing film like THE AGRONOMIST, one of the most beautifully crafted documentaries I have seen in a very long time.
The film's title is in reference to Hatian radio journalist Jean Dominique (1930-2000), a great, charismatic and controversial part of Haitian mass media and history for the forty years he was on the air, with RADIO HAITI, his radio station, founded in 1960. For those of you unfamiliar with agronomy, it is a type of agricultural science. Receiving an education as an agronomist as a young man, from a very affluent mulatto family in Haiti, Dominique applied his acquired knowledge of the science of sustainable cultivation to help poor Haitian peasants, with their cash crop. He also felt a calling to start up a film club, produce a Haitian documentary centered on voodoo, and eventually start his work as a very progressive journalist, challenging the corrupt politics of his very violent and turbulent government. Eventually, Dominique was driven into exile, in New York, with his wife.
Jonathan Demme began recording informal interviews with Dominique in 1986, juxtaposing his footage with newsreels documenting political violence in Haiti, as well as interviews with Dominique's wife, other family members and colleagues, leading up to his assasination in April of 2000. His footage is compelling, profound and even (at times) humorous. The very charismatic Jean Dominique was insightful, with a wit that cut like a knife, and interjected his pointed observations with bursts of humor and poetry. What's more, the original musical soundtrack is fabulous. Wyclef Jean and Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis bring great songs to this documentary piece, that add such color and flavor to the story. THE AGRONOMIST is great and I am truly surprised that it didn't get more exposure! I definitely reccomend it.
Good Info........2007-04-10
n a word, this movie is "educational." It isn't the best documentary I've ever seen, but I do know quite a bit more about Haiti than I did before I saw it.
controversial.......2007-03-10
This film is an excellent documentary about Dominique and Haitian politics in general. It brings to life the Duvaliers' regime and the Aristide administration through the eyes of the most controversial journalist and his life at radio haiti.
A Moving and very Eye-Opening Film.......2007-02-26
I enjoyed watching this documentary because it really showed what could be... the elite of Haiti rising up and standing for the rights of ALL Haitians not standing for impunity in the justice system and governmental abuses. Jean Dominque dared to simply stand for HAITI...against corruption on all sides and he paid with his life like so many other Haitian activists. It is a shame to see so many rich and powerful ignoring the plight of the poor in their own country. This documentary shows the story of someone who dared to be different. His impact is living beyond his life thanks to this film and others who carry on his story.
I have been to Haiti twice and am planning my third trip. Your heart is so full to the breaking point when you visit - so many wonderful people full of life and looking for hope. Haiti is so often pushed to the sidelines but hopefully with films such as these more people will be inspired to help in the fight for justice for Haiti.
Amazon.com
Jonathan Demme has always had a thing for Haiti. With The Agronomist, the Oscar winning director of The Silence of the Lambs takes his Haitian passion for a serious and considerably more personal turn in a documentary profiling journalist and radio pioneer Jean Dominique. Demme first became intrigued by Dominique in 1991 when he undertook a series of informal video interviews. He returned to his subject many times over the next decade, sometimes in Haiti and sometimes during extended periods when Dominique was in the U.S., a political exile from his homeland. When Demme began his documentary, he certainly couldn't have planned for its end--the assassination of Dominique outside his Port au Prince radio station in 2000. As The Agronomist makes clear, it was a blatantly political crime and one that remains unsolved. The title refers to Dominique's original vocation helping farmers in the rural communities of Haiti. He came from the upper classes, but continued his battles in representing his country's poor and dispossessed even as his career path changed to professional broadcaster. As operator of the independent Radio Haiti Inter from 1960 until his death, Dominique became a hero to the masses and a frequent enemy of the government. In extensive interview segments, Dominique exudes the charismatic good humor and mischievous zeal that brought him fame and infamy from the various constituents of Haiti's notorious political landscape. An impish, animated figure with sparkling eyes and naughty grin, Dominique gleefully or angrily recounts confrontations with the authority of Haiti's Duvalier father-and-son dictators, and later the Aristide regime. The Agronomist is very much a homemade affair, but by no means amateurish. Using mostly raw camcorder video, Demme makes a stylish statement with his visuals and Dominique's words. He also gets plenty of help from a sensational soundtrack by another beloved Haitian hero, Wyclef Jean. The Agronomist is an apt history lesson about Haiti's legacy of political turmoil and a powerful testimonial about patriotism in the face of oppression. --Ted Fry
Customer Reviews:
Death was not a defeat for this man.......2007-08-13
This is one of the most inspiring documentaries I've ever seen coming from my country. Jean Dominique's unparalleled quest for freedom really made my day and deepened my enormous respect for such idealists. Jonathan Demme creates a film that is no less absorbing and considerably more powerful. The film focuses on Jean Dominique, a Haitian radio station owner, journalist, and tireless human rights activist. Dominique was born to the thin upper crust of Haiti but turned his back on that class to advocate for the poor and landless. Exiled twice to America (in 1980 and 1991), he returned to Haiti both times to press for democracy and land reform. He was assassinated in April 2000, a deep loss for the Haitian people and the world.
The film stitches together interviews Demme did with Jean Dominique over several years. Even from that grainy footage, it is apparent how charismatic Dominique was. His excitement is infectious; when he opens wide his eyes and smiles, we can't help but smile with him. At various stages, he talks about the "risky business" of operating a free radio station in a dictatorship, and we're inspired to undertake our own risky business in search of freedom. What's particularly impressive (and appealing) about Dominique is his indefatigable optimism. But when he talks about the CIA's role in his country, we're reminded of why giving that institution too much power (even in this age of terrorism) might not be such a good thing. His invitation to join his struggle along with his honesty and strength could not be bent. Only bullets could (and did) stop him.
Another extremely touching aspect of his story is the level of bonding they had with his wife. It is such a rarity and such a wonderful thing to happen, that you cannot but feel happy that these two people have met and enjoyed their life together.
"The Agronomist" is far from a perfect film. Demme, who has directed such movies as "Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia," skips over important events and large blocks of time. Those not intimately familiar with Haiti's recent past may find it difficult to keep up. There is also a lack of context at certain points: what role have the various militias played? how has President Aristide affected the country and how has power changed him? By focusing so completely on the charismatic figure of Dominique, the documentary sometimes loses its way.
Still, this is a rare glimpse into a country that's again in the news. As Dominique himself states, "Cinema is a window on to the world...If you see a film correctly, the grammar of the film is a political act."
***Haiti remains the hemisphere's poorest nation, multiply burdened by unforgiving debt as well as increasing inability even to structure or even imagine another, more hopeful future. How sad Dominique would be to see what has happened in the seven years since his murder. And yet, how fiercely and relentlessly he would continue to fight for that hope. Indeed, how fierce and beautiful he remains in this film, a call for resistance against injustices both general and devastatingly specific.****
powerful and compelling.............2007-05-25
Though, I know of filmmaker Jonathan Demme (known best for THE CRYING GAME, among other films), I have never seen any of the films from his extensive body of work. What's more, I knew even less of Haiti. It was time that I receive an education, I felt, and what better way to do this than through viewing an intense and engrossing film like THE AGRONOMIST, one of the most beautifully crafted documentaries I have seen in a very long time.
The film's title is in reference to Hatian radio journalist Jean Dominique (1930-2000), a great, charismatic and controversial part of Haitian mass media and history for the forty years he was on the air, with RADIO HAITI, his radio station, founded in 1960. For those of you unfamiliar with agronomy, it is a type of agricultural science. Receiving an education as an agronomist as a young man, from a very affluent mulatto family in Haiti, Dominique applied his acquired knowledge of the science of sustainable cultivation to help poor Haitian peasants, with their cash crop. He also felt a calling to start up a film club, produce a Haitian documentary centered on voodoo, and eventually start his work as a very progressive journalist, challenging the corrupt politics of his very violent and turbulent government. Eventually, Dominique was driven into exile, in New York, with his wife.
Jonathan Demme began recording informal interviews with Dominique in 1986, juxtaposing his footage with newsreels documenting political violence in Haiti, as well as interviews with Dominique's wife, other family members and colleagues, leading up to his assasination in April of 2000. His footage is compelling, profound and even (at times) humorous. The very charismatic Jean Dominique was insightful, with a wit that cut like a knife, and interjected his pointed observations with bursts of humor and poetry. What's more, the original musical soundtrack is fabulous. Wyclef Jean and Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis bring great songs to this documentary piece, that add such color and flavor to the story. THE AGRONOMIST is great and I am truly surprised that it didn't get more exposure! I definitely reccomend it.
Good Info........2007-04-10
n a word, this movie is "educational." It isn't the best documentary I've ever seen, but I do know quite a bit more about Haiti than I did before I saw it.
controversial.......2007-03-10
This film is an excellent documentary about Dominique and Haitian politics in general. It brings to life the Duvaliers' regime and the Aristide administration through the eyes of the most controversial journalist and his life at radio haiti.
A Moving and very Eye-Opening Film.......2007-02-26
I enjoyed watching this documentary because it really showed what could be... the elite of Haiti rising up and standing for the rights of ALL Haitians not standing for impunity in the justice system and governmental abuses. Jean Dominque dared to simply stand for HAITI...against corruption on all sides and he paid with his life like so many other Haitian activists. It is a shame to see so many rich and powerful ignoring the plight of the poor in their own country. This documentary shows the story of someone who dared to be different. His impact is living beyond his life thanks to this film and others who carry on his story.
I have been to Haiti twice and am planning my third trip. Your heart is so full to the breaking point when you visit - so many wonderful people full of life and looking for hope. Haiti is so often pushed to the sidelines but hopefully with films such as these more people will be inspired to help in the fight for justice for Haiti.
Average customer rating:
|
Charlie Rose with John Rockefeller; Hisham Melhem; Jonathan Demme (May 5, 2004)
Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
 ( C )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
General
| Educational
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
All Titles
| Charlie Rose Store
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
World
| Charlie Rose Store
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
U.S.
| Charlie Rose Store
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Movies
| Entertainment
| Charlie Rose Store
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
ASIN: B000HBL18W
Release Date: 2006-08-15 |
Description
The first half of the broadcast is dedicated to the controversy over the pictures taken at Abu Ghraib. Charlie talks first to Senator John Rockefeller of West Virginia and then Hisham Melhem, journalist for As Safir in Lebanon, about the Arab reaction. The evening closes with a discussion about a new film called The Agronomist, with its director Jonathan Demme, and the subject of the film, Haitian journalist Jean Dominique's widow, Michele Montas.
DVD:
- The Beatles Anthology
- The Beatles Anthology
- The Celluloid Closet (Special Edition)
- The Creation of the Universe
- The Doors Collection (Collector's Edition)
- The Endurance - Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
- The Fairy Faith - A breathtaking odyssey about fairies and those who belive in them (Documentary)
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven
- The History Channel's Great Blunders of WW II
- The Howlin' Wolf Story - The Secret History of Rock & Roll
DVD
DVD
Aristide and the Endless Revolution
Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101
Getting Haiti Right This Time: The U.S. and the Coup (Read and Resist)
Life And Debt
Lumumba (Special Edition)
![The Agronomist [Region 2]](http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/21JXM396YRL.jpg)