Private Project

The Land of High Mountains

Lespwa fe viv. Hope gives life.

In a country where one third of the population is under 14 years of age, and foreign NGOs consistently come and go, Saint Damien Pediatric Hospital has been providing life-saving healthcare to the most vulnerable families in Haiti for over 30 years. The Land of High Mountains is the inspiring true story of the incredible people, both Haitian and foreign, who are working together to heal the children of the island and realize the dreams of a nation.

  • Will Agee
    Director
    Crescite
  • Will Agee
    Producer
    Crescite
  • Will Agee
    Cinematography
    Crescite
  • Olaf Hamelink
    Cinematography
    Crescite
  • Shay Smith
    Cinematography
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 43 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Haiti
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
    Fort Lauderdale
    United States
    November 8, 2018
    Worldwide Premiere
    Official Selection
  • IndieFEST Film Awards
    La Jolla
    United States
    November 16, 2018
    Award of Excellence
  • Palm Springs International Film Festival
    Palm Springs
    United States
    January 4, 2019
    West Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • DOC Fest
    San Francisco
    United States
    June 11, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Napa Valley Film Festival
    Yountville
    United States
    November 13, 2019
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Will Agee

Will Agee is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and the founder and director of Dulcinea Productions.

Born in Boston, Will grew up in Napa Valley, California. Before starting his career in film, Will was a nationally touring musician, a graduate of Stanford University, and a small business owner.

In 2016, in pursuit of his lifelong dream of storytelling, Will released his first short documentary, Crescite. The film examines how the community of Napa Valley came together to create a more progressive environment for its farm workers. Crescite was screened at numerous film festivals and won several awards.

Following on the success of his first short film, Crescite, Will read the memoir of Fr. Rick Frechette, “Haiti: The God of Tough Places, the Lord of Burnt Men.” This book deeply moved him and he travelled to Haiti in January 2017. In the spring of 2017 he began production on his debut feature length documentary in Haiti with a crew of just three. This powerful film explores the only pediatric hospital in Haiti and the individuals who work tirelessly for children.

Will's approach to filmmaking is elegant and distinctive. He uses poetic cinematography, intimate interviews, and evocative musical scores to transport the audience and leave an indelible impression. Despite working with highly sensitive issues including immigration, poverty, and war, his films have demonstrated the ability to bridge empathy gaps and advance dialogue.

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Director Statement

"In January of 2017, following a long festival season for my first ever film, a documentary short titled, Crescite, I heeded the advice of a dear friend. In November he had suggested that I read the memoir of Fr. Rick Frechette, “Haiti: The God of Tough Places, the Lord of Burnt Men.”

It affected me profoundly. A couple of weeks later I found myself in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, at the threshold of Saint Damien Pediatric Hospital - the only pediatric hospital in the country.

During this unforgettable trip I encountered a couple life changing experiences and along with the encouragement of a cast of unforgettable characters both Haitian and foreign, I began to establish the framework for my first feature length documentary.

Three months later, in April 2017, a mere three weeks after my wedding, I landed once again in Port-au-Prince with Olaf Hamelink, a Dutch cinematographer extraordinaire and we were soon to be joined for the first week of production by Shay Smith, a wonderful cinematographer and filmmaker from Spokane, Washington. As the rainy season in Haiti commenced, so did the production. The film, which I had recently dubbed, The Land of High Mountains, was beginning to take shape.

The title of the film is an homage to the native Taino people who long before European subjugation called this place, “Ayiti”, which means “land of high mountains.” The mountains in Haiti, both literal and metaphorical, are imposing and seemingly endless.

I believe that at this time in the world we need to illuminate genuine role models, people who are heroic in everyday life. I also believe that in Haiti you have some extraordinary examples of individuals who despite all the odds embody joy, resilience, and determination.

No matter who you are, no matter where you live, there are always mountains to climb.

In Haiti, the mountains are just a bit higher."