Hugues Gentillon

Hugues Gentillon
Born Hugues Gentillon
December 17, 1974
Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Hispaniola
Residence Tortuga Island, Haiti, Hispaniola
Education Marie-Yolène, Petit Séminaire Collège Saint-Martial, Collège Roger Anglade, Miami Dade College, University of Florida, Barry University, American University of the Caribbean, New York Film Academy, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Medical University of Lodz, Academy of Art University, Folkuniversitetet
Alma mater Academy of Art University, Medical University of Lodz, Miami Dade College, University of Florida, Collège Roger Anglade
Occupation Filmmaker, medical researcher, conceptual artist, philanthropist
Years active 2011–present
Notable work Love Me Haiti, A Place To Coexist : YUGY
Religion None
Awards MPAH Best Short Film 2014, INTERSTUDENT 2014: Best Int'l Student in Poland

Hugues Gentillon (born December 17, 1974),[1] is a Haitian-born film director, screenwriter, producer, physician-scientist, entrepreneur, conceptual artist, philanthropist, and founder of Yugy Pictures Entertainment, a film production company based in the USA.[2][3][4]

Gentillon holds dual Haitian-U.S. citizenship and studies in Europe. He reveals the convenience of being able to travel the world with an American passport. Nevertheless, he also shows his pride for his native country with the film Love Me Haiti, which wins the 2014 Haitian Oscar.[5][6][7][8]

Early life

Gentillon grew up in Port-au-Prince, on the island of Haiti, nicknamed "La Perle des Antilles" (The Pearl of the Caribbean) because of its natural beauty, and also known as the first nation to abolish slavery in the world. Gentillon's mother was born on the northwest peninsula of Haiti, and his father came from the southwest peninsula of the country. His parents were both entrepreneurs and thus could afford to place him at Marie-Yolène preschool, at age 4.

From 1980 to 1991, Gentillon attended one of Haiti's oldest and most prestigious institutions of primary and secondary education: Petit Séminaire Collège Saint-Martial, an all-boy catholic institution founded by Vatican's Spiritans soon after Haiti's abolition of slavery. There Gentillon particularly excelled himself in the areas of history, arts-&-humanities, languages, theology, math, and natural sciences like astrophysics.

From 1985, Gentillon began traveling to Florida every summer vacation to visit his relatives and to study English.

In 1991, Gentillon's parents transferred him to Roger-Anglade catholic school, where he successfully completed "Baccalauréat 1 & 2" with focus in math and science.

After High school, he was further educated in the USA and in Europe.

Career

Gentillon career in cinema blasted off like a rocket with the screening of his MFA thesis film Love Me Haiti at popular events such as Festival de Cannes,[9][10][11] Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF),[12] Boston Cinema/Motion Pictures Association of Haiti (MPAH),[13] and Bahamas International Film Festival.[14]

Being a newcomer, his first professional film got a lot of media attention, especially in Cannes and in Zanzibar. His notability is growing rapidly because of the subject matter of Love Me Haiti. Gentillon won the 2014 Interstudent special award,[15][16][17] and his film Love Me Haiti won the 2014 MPAH award for Best Short Film.[18]

In 2014, Martin Mhando, ZIFF festival director, had especially planned a press interview with Gentillon, South African actress Terry Pheto, and Kenyan Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o to talk about the common denominator between Love Me Haiti, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and 12 Years a Slave.[19] Unfortunately, Nyong'o did not show up due to bomb terror attack in Zanzibar the week before the interview. The festival program was partly disrupted. Only Gentillon and actress Terry Pheto were interviewed.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Florida Department of State "HUGUES GENTILLON | Florida Voter Directory"
  2. ↑ Dawid Budny. (2014) Medical University of Lodz Alumni Press release. "Our Graduates | Medical University of Lodz"
  3. ↑ Alison Pierce. (2014, March 27). Academy of Art University Alumni Press release(CA, USA). "AAU - Take a Look at Your Future - Academy of Art University."
  4. ↑ The Hollywood Reporter. (2014, May 21). Cannes, FR. "AAU - Love Me Haiti screening guide at the Festival de Canes"
  5. ↑ Dawid Budny. (2014) Medical University of Lodz Alumni Press release. "Our Graduates | Medical University of Lodz"
  6. ↑ Alison Pierce. (2014, March 27). Academy of Art University Alumni Press release(CA, USA). "AAU - Take a Look at Your Future - Academy of Art University."
  7. ↑ Matylda Witkowska. (2015, January 23). Dziennik Łodz Newspaper. "Doktorant Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Łodzi najpopularniejszym studentem w kraju."
  8. ↑ Agata Stachura-Ścieszko. (2015, January 26). TVP & Teleexpress Headline News. "Najpopularniejszy zagraniczny student w Polsce pochodzi z Haiti i uczy się w Łodzi!"
  9. ↑ Cannes Press Releases:thebusinessoffilm.com (2014). "Screening Guide - Day 8 Wednesday May 21st, 2014"
  10. ↑ J.C Genton. Guide Bijoux. (2014, May). "Aurélia Khazan porte des bijoux Tournaire au Festival de Cannes 2014"
  11. ↑ Screens International Magazine at Festival de Cannes (2014, May 21). "Love Me Haiti screening guide: page 22-23"
  12. ↑ Manchester Mahapa. (2014, August 5). Discop Africa. "Manchester Goes to Zanzibar International Film Festival."
  13. ↑ Frantz Jean Baptiste. (2014, November 14). Le Nouvelliste newspaper. "Haiti Movie Awards 2014, à Boston"
  14. ↑ Romola Lucas. (2014, November 20). CineCaribe News:The Caribbean Film Academy "Love Me screening at 2014 Bahamas International Film Festival"
  15. ↑ Ministry of Science and Education:Science & Scholarship in Poland. (2015, February 2). "The winners for the best foreign student contest"
  16. ↑ Money.pl. (2015, January 23). "Doktorant z Haiti zwyciężył w plebiscycie internautów na najlepszego studenta"
  17. ↑ MUL Press release. (2015, January 23). "English Division student wins the Interstudent contest"
  18. ↑ MPAH Haiti Movie Award 2014. (2014, October). "SPLA | MPAH Haiti Movie Award 2014"
  19. ↑ Manchester Mahapa. (2014, August 5). Discop Africa. "Manchester Goes to Zanzibar International Film Festival."
  20. ↑ Stevens Muendo. (2014, June 6). Standard Digital News. "Terror attack disrupts the Zanzibar festival ahead of Lupita's arrival."