Experiencing Interruptions?

BROOKLYN TO BENIN: A VODOU PILGRIMAGE

A daughter born on the other side of the water, returns delving into an ancient cascade of memory, myth and magic.

Regine Romain, Haitian-American artist, educator and anthropologist, completes a three year pilgrimage traveling from Brooklyn, NY, southern United States, Central America, Haiti to Benin, West Africa - the birthplace of Vodou. Her journey crosses the TransAtlantic Slave Trade history while celebrating Vodou's cultural survival throughout the African Diaspora.

  • REGINE ROMAIN
    Director
  • Olatoundji Fagbenro
    Assitant Director
  • Regine Romain
    Executive Producer
  • WaWaWa Diaspora Centre
    Producer
  • Trinity Media
    Producer
  • REGINE ROMAIN
    Writer
  • Regine Romain
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Faith, Religion, Spirituality, Black Studies, African Diaspora, TransAtlantic Slave Trade, Short Doc, Pilgrimage, Travel
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 28 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 22, 2016
  • Country of Origin:
    Benin
  • Country of Filming:
    Belize, Benin, Haiti, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • IREP International Documentary Film Festival
    Lagos
    Nigeria
    March 16, 2017
    Regional Premiere
  • Women of African Descent Film Festival
    Brooklyn, NY
    United States
    May 6, 2017
    National Premiere
  • Africa Film Trinidad & Tobago
    Port of Spain
    Trinidad and Tobago
    July 30, 2017
    Regional Premiere
  • Bergen County Film Festival
    Bergen County, New Jersey
    United States
    March 17, 2019
    Best Short Documentary 2019
  • Imagine This Women's International Film Festival
    Brooklyn, NY
    United States
    November 9, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series
    Brooklyn, NY
    United States
    October 20, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Haiti International Film Festival
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    August 15, 2020
    Finalist
  • Faith and Spirituality Shorts Film Festival
    Missoula, MT
    United States
    November 8, 2020
    Official Selection
Director Biography - REGINE ROMAIN

Régine Romain is a Haitian-American artist, educator and visual anthropologist. She is a dynamic storyteller who uses photographs/film/performance to create acts of social resistance to stoke the collective imagination and keep alive new ways of seeing.

Régine lived full-time in Benin, West Africa from January 2016 to February 2018, conducting research, teaching, completing her "Brooklyn to Benin: A Vodou Pilgrimage" mixed-media project and directing/producing three short films. While in West Africa, she created the WaWaWa Diaspora Centre - to actively heal historic wounds and trauma related to the TransAtlantic Slave Trade through inter-generational arts, education, and exchange programs.

She has 20 years practice in creating, researching, teaching, and supporting diverse communities in engaging and co-creating projects that promote positive representations of their individual and collective identities. Through an extensive global network, Régine produces culturally transformative courses, curriculum, workshops, salons, exhibits, festivals, and forums.

She received her B.Sc. in International Studies from Bowie State University and Masters in Photography & Urban Culture from Goldsmiths, University of London. Régine lives between Brooklyn, NY and West Africa.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Brooklyn to Benin: A Vodou Pilgrimage" is the manifestation of my artistic inheritance as a Haitian-American storyteller, craftswoman, educator and spiritual alchemist. This short film chronicles my three-year sojourn across the turbulent Trans-Atlantic slave history to return to Benin - the birthplace of Vodou, an ancient West African religion. Importantly, the film’s narration and visual images guides viewers away from the historic misrepresentation of the religion to a space love, honor and respect. AYIBOBO!