Ouidah, January 6, 2026.- The memory of Jean-Jacques Dessalines crosses the Atlantic. This Tuesday, January 6, the Beninese city of Ouidah welcomes the screening of the documentary Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the winner of Napoleon Bonaparte of Haitian filmmaker Arnold Antonin, a strong cultural initiative linking the history of Haiti with that of Africa.
The screening is held at the Cultural Center of International Meeting (CCRI), located in the former courthouse of Ouidah. This symbolic choice recalls the central role of the city in the transatlantic trade, which has permanently linked Benin's destiny to that of Haiti.
The documentary traces the journey of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, military leader of the Haitian Revolution and craftsman of independence proclaimed on 1 January 1804 in Gonaïves. Based on historical research and archives, the film goes back to the defeat inflicted on the Napoleonic army and the birth of the Empire of Haiti.
Through the analyses of historians, the work highlights the strategic and political dimension of Dessalines, often relegated to the background in some narratives. The film emphasizes its major role in the global history of the struggles for freedom and emancipation of black peoples.
Free entry is intended to encourage broad public participation. The organizers thus wish to strengthen the cultural and memorial exchanges between Haiti and Africa, around a common historical heritage marked by resistance and the quest for dignity.
W.A.
