Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1951, Mystic Fire Release)
Director: Maya Deren, Teiji Ito, Cherel Ito
Genre: Culture & Society [nf], Spirituality & Philosophy [nf], Anthropology, Religions & Belief Systems
Runtime: 52 min (Cosmic Zoom Festival)
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Black and White
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123802/
Information: Notes on Deren's Haitian Footage
daseinforlorn's powers back again!!!
and thank dear trep for giving me this film's info.
This intimate ethnographic study of Voudoun dances and rituals was shot by Maya Deren during her years in Haiti (1947-1951); she never edited the footage, so this "finished" version was made by Teiji Ito and Cherel Ito after Deren's death. The possession rites of the Rada, Petra, and Congo sects are featured along with Rara and Mardi Gras celebrations. — Sarah Welsh
Between 1947 and 1955, Deren conducted extensive research into Haitian culture, filming voodoo-inspired rituals and ceremonies and recording the island's folk music. While her time in Haiti produced the classic book "Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti" (1953), her plans to create a documentary on the Haitian culture never came anywhere near completion. For the first time, portions of this long unseen are shown here and the result is astonishing. Deren's hand-held camera brought her into the middle of celebrations, capturing the rapture and frenzy of participants who seemed possessed by both the force of ritual and perhaps the power of voodoo, while the singing and instrumentals she recorded is a raw, rich slice of Haiti's unique musical heritage. In many ways, Deren's unfinished material rivals the genius of Orson Welles' aborted Brazilian-based documentary "It's All True."
Maya.Deren.-.The.Divine.Horsemen_the.living.gods.of.Haiti.(Thanks.daseinforlorn!).mpg 
