On Friday, June 26, audiences in Atlanta will have a rare opportunity to experience one of the most celebrated independent feature films of the year when The Tropic Sun and His Eyes makes its Atlanta premiere at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College.
Directed by Haitian-American filmmaker Elisee Junior St. Preux, the film recently made its World Premiere at the Tribeca Festival, where St. Preux received the Special Jury Mention Award for Best New Narrative Director. Tribeca’s jury praised the film as a “ravishing portrait of Haiti” and recognized its moving exploration of family, memory, and healing.
Hosted by the Morehouse College of Human Rights Film Festival and sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, the special Atlanta premiere will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event will include a screening of the film followed by a post-screening discussion and audience Q&A with St. Preux moderated by Edvige Jean Francois (Executive Director of the Center for Studies on Africa and its Diaspora at Georgia State University) and joined by Muhammad T. Abdullah (Vice President & General Manager – Mountain, Arctic & Pacific USA at The Coca-Cola Company) and Dr. Regine O. Jackson (Dean of the Humanities, Social Sciences, Media & Arts Division and Professor of Sociology at Morehouse College).
The Atlanta premiere arrives at a uniquely significant moment. As communities across the nation observe Caribbean American Heritage Month and engage in international cultural exchange through FIFA World Cup celebrations, The Tropic Sun and His Eyes offers a timely and deeply human portrait of Haiti that challenges stereotypes and expands understanding.
“This is not the version of Haiti the media portrays,” St. Preux explains in his director’s statement. “It is simply a story about connection. The connection to oneself and the connection to family. Haitians simply as humans.”
The film follows Ruben, a young man returning to Haiti to reconnect with his estranged father before it is too late. Along the journey, he is joined by a curious young boy whose presence forces him to confront childhood wounds, family trauma, and the possibility of healing. Together, they navigate questions of identity, vulnerability, and generational love.
More than a coming-of-age story, the film represents a historic achievement for Haitian cinema. The Tropic Sun and His Eyes is the first mental health-focused father-and-son narrative feature film shot entirely on land in Haiti and was created by a production team that was approximately 95% Haitian. The film is presented primarily in Haitian Creole with English subtitles, creating an authentic and immersive cultural experience while elevating local Haitian talent both in front of and behind the camera.
At a time when public conversations about Haiti are often dominated by crisis narratives, St. Preux’s work offers something different: a portrait of everyday humanity, beauty, vulnerability, and resilience.
The screening also reflects Atlanta’s continued emergence as a hub for international independent filmmaking and diaspora storytelling. Home to one of the nation’s largest Caribbean populations and a thriving creative community, Atlanta has increasingly become a destination for global filmmakers seeking meaningful engagement with audiences who understand the cultural intersections between Africa, the Caribbean, and the American South.
“This moment is an opportunity for Atlanta audiences to engage with a story that broadens our understanding of Haiti,” said St. Preux. “All while celebrating the power of independent filmmaking to tell stories that mainstream media often overlooks. It is exactly the kind of cultural exchange that strengthens communities and reminds us of our shared humanity.”
The screening is expected to draw filmmakers, artists, students, cultural leaders, members of Atlanta’s Haitian and Caribbean communities, and supporters of independent cinema from across the region.
As the film’s closing message reminds audiences:
“If generational trauma can be passed down, so can generational healing.”
