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Chicago – The brothers from Haiti, by way of Chicago – Tirf Alexius and Remoh Romeo – are back with their latest production, “Bastard Son of a Thousand Fathers.” The U.S. premiere will be in Chicago this Friday, September 16th, 2016. This is the brother’s third feature, after “Critical Nexus” (2013) and the documentary “Lakay” (2014).

“Bastard Son of a Thousand Fathers” (Bsotf) is a smart crime drama – written and directed by Lanre Sarumi – pitting a host of characters within the web of a super narcotic, destined to be the hottest illegal drug on the streets. Who will benefit and who will be denied is the conflict in every good street drama, and Bsotf delivers the energy. The U.S. Premiere and Red Carpet Event will be at the Patio Theatre on the northwest side of Chicago (see details below), followed by screenings in Miami, Los Angeles and New York City.

Tirf Alexius and...

Chicago – Understanding identity is a lifelong pursuit. When two U.S. immigrant brothers – and filmmakers – go back to to their native Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, they find much more than expected. Tirf Alexius and Remoh Romeo documented their journey in the new film “Lakay.”

Rating: 5.0/5.0

The documentary begins in cold Chicago, on the front porch of a multi-flat building where Alexius and Romeo first lived as kids when they moved to the urban Midwest. Alexius starts talking about his embarrassment regarding his heritage during his early years in America – he would tell people he was French or had other origins, but avoided his Haitian roots. This is the jumping-off point for the story of Alexius and Romeo, returning to their Caribbean homeland after 28 years, to find their half-brothers in the aftermath of the crushing earthquake in Haiti. In their delicate and emotional journey, the contrast of homecoming and understanding what...

Chicago – In America, we all came from somewhere, and there is always that other “home.” Brothers/filmmakers Tirf Alexius and Remoh Romeo – twenty-plus years removed from their native Haiti after moving to Chicago – go back to their homeland after the 2010 earthquake, and captured that journey in the new film, “Lakay.”

“Lakay” means “home” in the Haitian language of kreyól – the film is being presented in English and kreyól – and the brothers travel to search for relatives in the aftermath of the earthquake. What they found besides that family is a sense of identity, a fuller appreciation for the country and culture they left as children. Everything they expected to explore became something else, while the devastated island country of Haiti struggled to regain a foothold after the destruction.

Remoh Romeo and Tirf Alexius Explore Their Haitian Childhood Home in ‘Lakay’

Photo credit: 4 Features Film Co.

Remoh Romeo is the older of the two brothers,...

A new documentary, "Lakay," by Chicago-based Haitian-American filmmaker Tirf Alexius, which deals with the recovery of Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake, will get a nationwide theatrical release after it screens at the 9th Annual Harlem International Film Festival this month. Told from a personal Pov, and starring Alexius, along with his brother Remoh Romeo (who also produced the project with Alexius, along with Hugh Grady and Macdanne Edmond), the documentary chronicles what happened when the two brothers returned to Haiti to locate their loved ones after the earthquake. However, what they found is a story of courage and resilience by the survivors, as well as...