Inspired by her own experience, Gessica Généus’s debut feature follows the lives of a family amid the vibrant everyday life of Port-au-Prince. FREDA portrays the relationship of the eponymous protagonist with her older sister Esther and their single mother Jeannette: three women with very different attitudes towards, and expectations of, life. With growing economic pressure, patriarchal social structures and political instability, staying in the country presents more challenges every day. Despite the dire situation, Freda – whose name refers to the Vodou goddess of love and abundance – is determined to stay and build a life for herself in Haiti. Documentary footage of the street protests in Port-au-Prince against the embezzlement of PetroCaribe funds in 2018 conveys a visceral sense of the protests against the turmoil the country is facing. (dp)