ACW EPS 172 - Changing the Narrative: Elisee Junior St Preux on Haiti, Black Fatherhood & Independent Filmmaking

Haitian American filmmaker Elisee Junior St Preux joins A Conversation With Floyd Marshall Jr. and Co-Host Okema T. Moore for a powerful discussion about independent filmmaking, Haitian identity, Black and Caribbean representation, mental health, fatherhood, and persistence in the film industry. Elisee shares how he went from being a self-taught creative to building a career as a director, writer, actor, and founder of SOIL Pictures. He opens up about crowdfunding, navigating rejection, film fellowships, balancing creative work with financial realities, and why filmmakers should stop waiting for permission and make the work they believe in. The conversation also explores his feature film The Tropic Sun and His Eyes, shot in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti. Elisee discusses his mission to challenge negative portrayals of Haiti and create more loving, vulnerable, and emotionally honest depictions of Black and Caribbean men, fathers, and families. This episode is especially valuable for filmmakers, writers, actors, producers, independent creatives, and anyone interested in Black cinema, Haitian storytelling, film financing, representation, and building a creative career with purpose