Tiyo and his best friend Jeff are young boys who roam the streets of Port-au-Prince doing odd jobs for change. While running through the narrow corridors of a poor slum village, they come across a gang meeting and are offered the chance to join. To do so, they have to commit a crime for the gang. Academically gifted but barred from school because he's unable to pay the fees, Tiyo is faced with either pledging his loyalty or losing the confidence of his grandfather, who dotes upon and guides Tiyo. But as he mulls over his choice, conflicting desires and loyalties collide in devastating ways, changing Tiyo's life forever. Directed and written by JR Aristide, this powerful short drama captures not just the harshness of Haitian life in the wake of multiple disasters and social upheaval, but the end of a young boy's childhood as those terrible realities begin to shape his destiny. By telling the story through
Tiyo's wise but increasingly disillusioned eyes, the film reminds us of the most vulnerable people affected by poverty, violence and social instability, made even more vulnerable by their invisibility on the world stage. The storytelling combines the propulsion of a first-rate thriller with the almost painterly attention to detail of an intimate, character-based drama. Its sensibility is anchored in the portrait of young Tiyo, building up his conscientious, curious and caring character while also grounding him in a vivid sense of place. We experience Port-Au-Prince as Tiyo does: teeming with interesting people and experiences, but also full of danger. When he and his best friend stumble upon one of these dangers, they gain entrance into a hidden layer of experience: a world of gangs, who promise power and protection in exchange for violence committed on their behalf.
Young Tiyo is then set up for a dilemma, one underscored by a simultaneous sense of losing options. His grandfather, who is his guardian, can't pay Tiyo's school fees, so Tiyo is not allowed to attend. For a bright, curious boy, this is a cataclysmic loss, making him vulnerable to the gang's allure. As Tiyo, young performer Personna Wilensky is a remarkable and natural screen presence, deftly conveying his fundamental innocence and his inner turmoil as he decides his future amid diminishing possibilities. It plays out with an almost Shakespearian sense of intensity and inevitability, in a conclusion that leaves both Tiyo and viewers shaken and devastated. Beyond its compelling storytelling and deft build-up of tension and suspense, PORT OF A PRINCE makes a case for the value of seeing and experiencing perspectives from all over the globe via cinema. Beyond its affecting narrative, it makes a case for the world not to forget Haiti, both for its rich culture and people and for the humanitarian crises it faces, such as political instability, economic devastation and catastrophic damage from natural disasters. It is in such chaos that institutions like gangs and corruption take root, promising order and protection in exchange for a devil's deal. Young, promising souls and the future they represent are at stake; the vividness of a story like this begs viewers not to forget or forsake them.
