After a successful international film festival tour, screening at some of the world’s most prestigious film festivals such as Sundance, Toronto International (where it made its premiere 2 years ago), Sheffield Doc Fest and over 30 others, the short documentary “Papa Machete” is now available for free online.

This film, previously covered on this blog, is an intimate look into the life of “Professor” Alfred Avril, a subsistence farmer living in the mountains of Haiti who happens to be one of the few remaining masters of the mysterious martial art of Tire Machèt — Haitian machete fencing. Teaching about the practical and spiritual value of the machete, as both a weapon and a farmer’s key to survival, Avril provides a bridge between his country’s traditional past and its troubled present. The film documents his proud devotion to his heritage and his struggle to keep it alive in the face of contemporary globalization.




Directed by Jonathan David Kane (his debut) “Papa Machete” is the first film from Third Horizon, a Miami-based film, music and art collective that aims to explore the stories and culture of the Caribbean and the so-called “third world” with nuance, insight and adventure.

The crowdfunded film (we featured its post-production campaign) was co-produced by Borscht Corp., in association with Coffee & Celluloid and Four Bent Corners, all Miami production companies.

Some of the funds raised also went into the construction of a new training facility and living quarters for Avril, whose home was damaged during the 2010 earthquake. However, sadly, Avril passed away one year after the making of the film. Today, his family lives in the newly constructed home, with his two sons, Jean-Paul and Roland, continuing the martial arts practice of their late father.

For more information about the film, visit papamachete.com, and for more information about upcoming Third Horizon Caribbean Film Festival, visit thirdhorizonfilmfestival.com.

Watch the critically-acclaimed short film, “Papa Machete,” below: