In 2013, the Dominican Republic’s Supreme Court erased birthright citizenship for anyone of Haitian descent. This decision, which rendered more than 200,000 people stateless—or, without nationality—was only the latest assault in the country’s long, brutal history of anti-Haitian racism. In this climate of state-sanctioned fear, director Michèle Stepehenson follows a young attorney called Rosa Iris, who runs for congress to advocate for social justice. Stephenson pulls from her Panamanian and Haitian roots, as well as her experience as a human rights attorney, to dig deeper into themes of identity, citizenship, and systemic racism through Rosa’s story. Richly imbued with elements of magical realism, Stateless uses an artistic approach to uncover the complex and tumultuous history of these neighbouring Caribbean nations. -MS

Winner of the 2020 Hot Docs Special Jury Prize for Canadian Feature Documentary.

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