The Agronomist

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"I tried to introduce information. Risky business." - Jean Leopold Dominique. Following a brief meeting in Haiti in 1987, director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Something Wild) videotaped conversations with Jean Dominique in exile in New York during the 90s - a man whose passion, style and wit captivated Demme. Although Dominique's education was in agriculture, his life took a radical turn when he became the owner and admired personality of Radio Haiti-Inter, the country's only independently owned station. A dynamic speaker at the front of popular opposition to the oppressive dictatorships that ruled the island, Dominique became a target himself. During one such attack, listeners could hear gunshots being fired upon his station. Eventually, he was forced to take exile in the U.S. Despite the instability of his country and personal position, Dominique maintains an optimism and love of life that is beyond admirable. Charismatic, controversial and courageous, Jean Dominique is The Agronomist. Demme wonderfully captures the essence of the man: slim, intense, eloquent, pipe in hand, a fighter for human rights in Haiti. An intoxicating look at an influential and fascinating individual provides the backbone for a tumultuous 30-year history of Haiti's struggles, and a film that is both troubling and eye-opening. - Al Owens