Watching virtually? Join your fellow moviegoers from coast-to-coast on Tuesday, March 26, and stream the film as part of the National Evening of Science on Screen!

Rico (Rayan Dieudonné) is a curious boy, living with his schoolteacher mother Erzulie (Penande Estime) in a small port town on the coast of Haiti in 1975. During an annual celebration, and despite his mother’s warnings of danger, he slips out into the night to witness legends come to life and the masks and costumes of revellers.

We see Kanaval — the Haitian version of Carnival — from the point-of-view of Rico, as a blending together of real and magical moments. Everything is exuberant and fascinating, until he returns home to find his beloved mother being attacked.

Migrating to safety in a small rural town in Quebec, Rico and Erzulie try their best to get accustomed to their new world with the assistance of an older couple that warmly takes them in. While Rico tries to make sense of this snowy province, with hunting, snowmobiling, and racist bullies all around, he’s unable to grasp why his mother, still grappling with her trauma, is becoming distant from him. So he does what many six-year-olds do, and conjures up an imaginary friend, Kana, from Haitian myth, who becomes his guide to figuring out the alien world he’s found himself in.

Following the in-person and virtual screenings of Kanaval, join us for a recorded conversation between NOFS Artistic Director Clint Bowie and Monica Cazes, a Licensed Professional Counselor based in New Orleans. This insightful discussion will delve deeper into the complexities of trauma depicted in the film and its profound implications for individuals and communities alike.

During the conversation, Monica will explore the concept of "secondary trauma," which arises from indirect exposure to traumatic events, a phenomenon experienced by the lead protagonist in Kanaval. Drawing from her extensive experience working with individuals dealing with addiction recovery, relationship issues, and trauma, Monica will discuss how traumatic stress can lead to lasting changes within certain brain areas. Additionally, she will shed light on the effects of secondary trauma and its impact on individuals' mental and emotional well-being.

About our speaker: Monica Cazes is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in New Orleans, Louisiana. She holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology from the University of Central Florida, and a Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Loyola University of New Orleans. In her private practice, Full Circle Counseling, she provides therapy services for individuals regarding addiction recovery, relationship issues, and dysfunctional family dynamics through a trauma-informed lens. Prior to starting her own practice, she spent years working in the inpatient substance use world treating drug addiction and trauma.

Presented with support from

An initiative of the COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE, with major support from the ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION.