About our movie…
Kidnapping Inc. is a dark comedy and political thriller inspired by the phenomenon of kidnapping in Haiti, which was nonexistent until the 2000s. The story follows two hapless kidnappers tasked with what appears to be a simple job, only to find out that it’s anything but, and end up in the middle of a political conspiracy. Based on real life, the result is a road movie combining City of God’s rawness and Pulp Fiction’s dark humor.
In 2018, despite chronic socio-political and economic crises, Haiti entered one of its darkest chapters with the resurgence of kidnappings and gangs across the country. This made everyday life dangerous for Haitians. In 2021, according to the report “Hegemony of Gangs and Rising Crime,” Haiti had the highest rate of kidnappings per capita in the world. Today, impunity is at an all-time high, and kidnappings, violence, and massacres have become the new normal.
During my research, I found out through interviews that several kidnapping victims emerge unscathed. Others were released under tragic circumstances, raped, or simply murdered. Yet, all these stories were told with humor, even the most difficult ones. These stories inspired me to bring this difficult and painful subject to light through humor.
This film deals with an important issue, given that so many – including my friends and relatives – have been victims of kidnapping, violence, and corruption in the country. In cruel irony, three of our crew members were kidnapped during production in 2021, bringing our filming to a halt. In 2022, as a result of gang violence, one of our set designer assistants was shot in the face, and the following year, another was killed. In 2023, one of the actors in the film, Ralphe Théodore, was murdered. On a more personal level, I am a victim of the insecurity and violence in Haiti. My father, Paul-Henri Mourral, was brutally killed - shot several times in the abdomen while driving his vehicle near Cité-Soleil - on May 31, 2005. I was 21 years old at the time. I never thought I would receive this type of phone call from my mom while I was away from home pursuing my studies abroad. I miss our conversations…
Over the years, we have risked everything to make this film. Despite political unrest, production that had to be stopped three times, COVID, and the assassination of our President, our team still managed to finish and tell this story. Our story. Kidnapping Inc. is a cross genre film packed with comedy, action, suspense, a cinematic UFO, which is its strength and originality. Its American directing style is likely to attract audiences who are fans of foreign independent films, who love to laugh, and who are curious to discover a movie from Haiti, a rarity in the cinematic landscape. In the end, the film is a tribute to my fellow Haitians’ resilience and courage and their sense of humor, which has the power to heal and perhaps shine a light during this dark chapter.
Where to see Kidnapping Inc.?
Available in selected theaters and streaming online.