Haiti International Film Festival

What Haiti International Film Festival does

Haiti International Film Festival (HIFF) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by filmmaker and Pasadena City College Cinema Professor Jacquil Constant to showcase films by Haitian Diaspora filmmakers in Hollywood. Its core product is an annual one-day film festival held at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre (4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles), supplemented by private screenings, Q&A sessions with Haitian-American talent such as Meta Golding, Béchir Sylvain, and Jimmy Jean Louis, and curated art exhibits such as the 2026 Haitian Magical Realism Exhibit at Pasadena City College. The underlying technology is modest: a WordPress website, FilmFreeway for ticketing, Vimeo/YouTube for media distribution, and a planned Haitian-cinema streaming platform that has not yet launched.

The organization serves a clearly segmented audience: emerging and established Haitian Diaspora filmmakers seeking exhibition venues, nonprofit and educational partners (Pasadena City College, California State University Northridge), and the broader Haitian-American community in the United States. It monetizes through one-time ticket purchases, low-priced merchandise ($5 short films and $30-$40 t-shirts), and, most importantly, corporate and government sponsorships (Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Center of Cultural Innovation, Department of Cultural Affairs City of Los Angeles) and individual donations via PayPal. Revenue from the planned streaming platform is intended to introduce a recurring subscription stream but is not yet operational.

Business model risk is concentrated in sponsorship dependency and key-person reliance on the founder. The company has executed ten annual festivals and is scheduled to host its 11th on August 15, 2026, signaling steady operational continuity rather than rapid scale. Key strategic questions for investors and partners center on the streaming platform's launch economics, the durability of municipal grant funding, and whether the niche content library can be monetized beyond the small Los Angeles event footprint.

Name

Haiti International Film Festival

Legal name

Haiti International Film Festival

Website

https://haitiinternationalfilmfestival.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Haiti International Film Festival is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces an annual festival at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood showcasing films by Haitian Diaspora filmmakers, while developing a year-round streaming platform and serving filmmakers, sponsors, and the Haitian-American community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Film Festival

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPADAKAF

Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPAGAFAA

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Exhibitions, Fairs & Expos (Consumer/Public)

Keywords

• Film festival events
• Independent film showcase
• Cultural film programming
• Diaspora cinema events
• Arts nonprofit exhibitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to the annual film festival events held at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood, California. Also includes ticket sales for special screenings and Q&A sessions.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise sales through the organization's shop including t-shirts and film-related products. Product offerings include short films (Soup Joumou at $5.00) and apparel (unisex classic tee at $30-$40).
3. Sponsorships and Grants: Funding from corporate sponsors, government cultural affairs departments, and nonprofit organizations that support the festival's mission to showcase Haitian culture through film.
4. Streaming Platform (Under Development): The festival is developing a streaming platform for Haitian filmmakers that will allow diverse audiences to experience Haitian films throughout the year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Haiti International Film Festival (HIFF) is an annual film festival held at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood, California, that curates and screens short films, documentaries, and feature films from Haitian Diaspora filmmakers. The organization also operates cultural art exhibitions (e.g., Haitian Magical Realism Exhibit), sells related merchandise and digital short films through an online shop, and is developing a year-round streaming platform for Haitian cinema.

Product overview

Haiti International Film Festival operates as an annual film festival event (HIFF) that showcases Haitian Diaspora films including short films, documentaries, and feature films at venues in Hollywood and Los Angeles. The core offering includes film screenings, Q&A sessions with filmmakers, and cultural exhibits like the Haitian Magical Realism Exhibit. Additional products include short films and merchandise sold through their online shop. A streaming platform for Haitian filmmakers is under development for year-round content access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Haiti International Film Festival (HIFF) Annual film festival event showcasing quality films from the Haitian Diaspora, including short films, documentaries, and feature films, providing a platform for emerging and established Haitian filmmakers to screen their work alongside Q&A sessions at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood.
• Haitian Magical Realism Exhibit Cultural art exhibition displayed at educational institutions to promote Haitian artistic traditions and heritage, organized alongside the festival programming.
• Soup Joumou Short Film A digital short film about the golden squash soup consumed by Haitians on January 1st (Haitian Independence Day), available for $5.00 digital purchase to audiences interested in Haitian cultural content.
• Unisex Classic Tee Festival-branded apparel merchandise sold directly to consumers, available in sizes S through 5XL and in Black or White color options, priced between $30.00 and $40.00 per unit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11th Annual Festival (2026)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Hollywood Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides sponsorship and business support services. Also prepares artists to be self-sufficient businesses through professional development programs.
• Center of Cultural InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides professional development services that prepare artists to be self-sufficient businesses.
• Pan African Film FestivalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutreach partner for the film festival, helping promote Haitian cinema and expand audience reach.
• African Arts AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutreach partner supporting promotion and visibility of Haitian film content.
• Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers WestmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutreach partner providing industry connections and promotional support for documentary filmmakers.
• California State University Northridge (CSUN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner that has provided venue support and is associated with founder Jacquil Constant's academic background.
• Pasadena City CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner hosting festival screenings and cultural events. Home to Cinema Professor Jacquil Constant.
• Mayme Clayton MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural institution partner providing venue support for film festival showcases.
• Echo Park Film CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue for showcasing Haitian films and hosting festival events.
• Barnsdall Gallery TheatrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary venue for the annual film festival, located in Hollywood, California.
• Arts for LAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubator program providing professional development and industry support.
• Actors FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubator program offering professional development resources for entertainment professionals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• FilmFreeway: The online submission and ticketing platform HIFF uses for ticket distribution; relevant ecosystem enabler/peer rather than direct competitor, but central to HIFF's distribution and submission workflow.

Direct peers

• Roxbury International Film Festival: Boston-based festival dedicated to films by and about people of color; comparable nonprofit, culturally-specific exhibition model targeting diaspora filmmakers.
• BronzeLens Film Festival: Atlanta-based festival dedicated to films by and about people of African descent; comparable curated-Black-cinema festival model and community-engaged programming.
• Urbanworld Film Festival: New York-based festival focused on narrative cinema and diverse storytellers, including Black and diasporic filmmakers; comparable diversity-focused film exhibition model.
• Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival: Annual festival celebrating Black cinema with strong industry and cultural-engagement programming; comparable diaspora-cinema exhibition and filmmaker-platform model.
• African Diaspora Film Festival: New York-based festival showcasing films by and about people of African descent worldwide; comparable cultural-diaspora programming model, mission, and audience overlap with HIFF.
• CaribbeanTales International Film Festival: Toronto-based festival and content distribution platform showcasing Caribbean and Caribbean-diaspora filmmakers; closely comparable cultural-mission and diaspora film exhibition focus.
• Pan African Film Festival: Los Angeles-based annual film festival focused on African and African-diaspora cinema; HIFF already lists it as an outreach partner. Highly comparable as a culturally-specific diaspora film festival serving filmmakers and audiences in the same LA ecosystem.
• New York African Film Festival: Annual festival presented by the African Film Festival, Inc., focused on African and diaspora cinema. Comparable niche-cultural festival model, screening-driven programming, and diaspora audience targeting.
• BlackStar Film Festival: Philadelphia-based annual festival celebrating Black, African, and African-diaspora cinema worldwide; comparable programming, audience, and curated-diaspora content model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@haitiinternationalfilmfest4525
• Facebookfacebook.com/HaitiInternationalFilmFestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haiti-international-film-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haiti International Film Festival