Gessica Généus Heads to Cannes 2026, Francis Mercier Set for Paris, Joé Dwèt Filé Announces HATELOVE

HAITI

Bianca Louis, selected to represent Haiti at Miss Independent International 2026, will not participate in the competition scheduled in Bangkok from April 20 to 27, 2026. Her withdrawal is linked to an administrative issue involving travel documents that could not be resolved in time. Prior to this appointment, she had earned multiple distinctions and was crowned Miss Dream Haiti 2025.

The music initiative “Devwale,” launched on April 23, 2026, by Mizikanou Production, is presented as a platform designed to identify and support emerging Haitian artists. Based in Miami, the project begins with the release of two tracks before opening applications through video submissions. Six artists are expected to be selected according to artistic and merit-based criteria.

DIASPORA

The film Marie-Madeleine, directed by Gessica Généus, has been selected for the 2026 Festival de Cannes in the Cannes Première section. Shot in 2025 in Jacmel and produced by SaNoSi Productions, the feature follows Freda, which was presented in 2021. The story centers on social tensions surrounding the installation of a church across from a brothel, through the perspective of the character Marie-Madeleine. The cast includes Gessica Généus, Gaëlle Bien-Aimé, Béonard Kervens Monteau and Youyou (Édouard Baptiste). The project was also supported by the Festival de Cannes Residency before production.

Haitian DJ and producer Francis Mercier is scheduled to perform on April 25 at Zénith de Paris-La Villette as part of his “Solèy” tour. The tour, which has already passed through London, Dubai and Montreal, combines live performances with cross-cultural musical exchanges. For the Paris stop, he will share the stage with Wyclef Jean, DJ K9, DJ Bullet, Boukman Eksperyans and Lenny Auguste.

Franco-Haitian singer Joé Dwèt Filé has announced the release of his new album HATELOVE, scheduled for May 22, 2026. A preview of the tracklist revealed collaborations with SDM, Shenseea, Rich The Kid and KLN. The album follows his previous projects À deux, Calypso, Daddy 9 and Goumin. He is also scheduled to headline a concert at Paris La Défense Arena in December 2026, with the announced date already sold out.

Haitian agronomist Remy Telfils participated in the Paris Café Festival 2026, representing Haitian coffee before an international audience. Through his company, he aims to position Haitian coffee within niche global markets while highlighting ongoing structural challenges affecting the sector in Haiti.

Meanwhile, Handy Tibert now serves as Venue Technical Manager in Kansas City, overseeing technical operations for major sporting events, including broadcast camera systems.

INTERNATIONAL

At Les Flammes, a ceremony dedicated to rap and popular culture, several artists emerged as key figures during the 2026 edition at La Seine Musicale. Theodora received four awards, including Music Video of the Year, while the trio L2B was named Male Breakthrough Act of the Year. Among the most nominated artists were Hamza, Aya Nakamura, Jul, Ninho and Gims.

Soraya Ades.