Watch La Belle Vie: The Good Life

La Belle Vie: The Good Life is a powerful documentary from 2015 that explores the complex and often fraught relationship between Haiti and its diaspora. Directed by Haitian-American filmmaker Rachelle Salnave, the film takes a deeply personal approach to the subject, blending interviews with family members, friends, and community leaders with archival footage and footage from Salnave's own visits to Haiti.

At its heart, La Belle Vie is a story about identity and belonging. Salnave grew up in a Haitian immigrant community in Brooklyn, and throughout her life has struggled to reconcile her own sense of self with the various cultural, political, and social forces that have shaped her. The film explores this struggle in depth, tracing the history of Haiti from its revolutionary beginnings to the present day, and examining the ways in which Haitian culture has been both embraced and reviled by the wider world.

One of the most striking aspects of La Belle Vie is the way that it weaves together so many different threads of Haitian history and culture. From the island's origins as a slave colony to its brief moment of glory as the world's first black republic, from the tumultuous Duvalier years to the devastating 2010 earthquake, the film covers a lot of ground. But even amid all this complexity, Salnave manages to stay focused on the human stories at the heart of the narrative.

Chief among these stories is Salnave's own. As she travels back and forth between Haiti and the US, she talks to family members who have made the difficult decision to stay in Haiti despite the many challenges they face. She also interviews friends and colleagues who have left Haiti in search of better opportunities abroad, and who struggle with feelings of guilt and nostalgia for the country they left behind. Throughout it all, Salnave maintains a strong sense of empathy and compassion, allowing even her harshest critics to voice their opinions without judgment.

The film also features a number of prominent Haitian figures, including former president Michel Martelly, musician and political activist Wyclef Jean, and writer Edwidge Danticat. These interviews provide valuable context and insight into the political and cultural forces that have shaped Haiti over the years, and help to anchor the film's larger themes in concrete, real-world examples.

Despite its heavy subject matter, La Belle Vie is ultimately a hopeful film. Salnave is clearly deeply committed to her native country and its people, and her love and respect for them shines through in every frame. By giving voice to the many different perspectives and experiences of the Haitian diaspora, she reminds us that there is no one 'right' way to be Haitian - or, for that matter, to be American, or any other nationality. We are all products of our past, but we also have the power to shape our own futures. As one interviewee puts it, "We can't change history, but we can change the way we tell it."

In a world that often seems driven by division and distrust, La Belle Vie offers a rare and much-needed perspective on what it means to be part of a community that spans borders and cultures. By sharing her own story, Salnave has created a film that speaks not just to the Haitian experience, but to the human experience as a whole. It is a poignant and powerful reminder that no matter where we come from or where we're going, we are all connected by our shared humanity.

La Belle Vie: The Good Life is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 59 hours. It has received outstanding reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 9.2.