Gessica Généus

Gessica Généus (born 23 December 1985) is a Haitian filmmaker, actress, singer and author. Most known for her drama film Freda.

Early life Généus was born on 23 December 1985 in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, in a precarious neighbourhood. Although she knew who her father was, he was not involved with her upbringing. She grew up with her mother and cousins. Her mother, an activist, was diagnosed as bi-polar and schizophrenic when Généus was fourteen. Généus is listed among the famous alumni of the College Saint-Louis de Bourdon.

Career

Acting In 2002, at the age of 17, Généus financially supported her final years at school by acting in Barikad (Barricade) a popular film directed by Richard Sénécal. In 2006, she won the best female actress award at the Brooklyn International Film Festival in New York for her role in Cousine. (Cousin). In 2007, she won the Grand Prix de la Diaspora at FESPACO (Pan-African Cinema Festival of Ouagadougou). In 2012, she played Vertueuse in a historical, French TV mini-series broadcast in two parts and titled Toussaint Louverture. It was produced by France 2.

In March 2018, she released her first music album ASE.

Filmmaking career After moving back to Haiti from Paris, Généus set up her own production company called Azizian Productions. From 2014-2016, she directed Vizaj Nou (Our faces), a series of fifteen-minute films, made in collaboration with Caribbean Television. They focused on leading figures in Haiti such as Viviane Gauthier, Frankétienne, Konpè Filo, and Odette Roy Fombrun.

In 2021, Généus made her feature film debut with Freda, which had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival on 14 July. It was the first Haitian film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival since 1993. Set in Port-au-Prince, it follows a single mother and her three children. Produced during the Haitian crisis, between the pandemic lockdowns and the political and societal unrest in the country. It is also the second Haitian submission in history to be entered for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, at the 94th Academy Awards.

Her second feature film, Mary Magdalene, had its world premiere at the Cannes Premiere section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

Filmography

Feature films

Documentaries 2017: The Sun Will Rise (Douvan Jou Ka Leve)

Short films 2012: Our Faces (Vizaj Nou)

Only actress