Whitman’s Lajeunesse to return to big screen in second documentary

His story will be told in a new documentary — titled “La Source” — directed by Patrick Shen that is slated for completion this month.

Shen previously featured Lajeunesse in “The Philosopher Kings,” his 2009 award-winning documentary about the lives of eight custodians from top colleges across the nation including the California Institute of Technology, Duke and Cornell.

Though Lajeunesse was originally chosen because of his energy and because the director “wanted to tell an immigrant’s story,” Shen found inspiration for this film just 10 minutes before the conclusion of his three-hour interview with Lajeunesse when filming “The Philosopher Kings.”

“He mentioned somewhat offhandedly that he had a project to bring water to a village in Haiti. We knew right then and there that he was going to be one of the central characters in ‘Philosopher Kings.’ We would have to get to Haiti somehow and finish off this film,” Shen said.

The new film follows the implementation of the project from April to July 2010. Though Lajeunesse had been sending money to his brother Chrismedonne since 2003 with the dream of launching the project, contributions of $38,780 from Generosity Water and University students brought the project to fruition.

University students became aware of Lajeunesse’s efforts and mobilized to help him following an on-campus screening of “The Philosopher Kings” last year.

“The screening made it more clear how amazing Josue’s story was. Lexi Meyer [’11], Li Deng [’10], Aquina Wihak [’11] and I really wanted to do something to help Josue’s cause, and money was the main thing this project needed,” Christina Laurenzi ’13 said in an e-mail.

With other students and on-campus groups, these students organized a recital, concert and a partnership with Oxfam to raise around $20,000. The University presented Lajeunesse with the Martin Luther King Day Journey Award for Special Achievement on Jan. 17.

Local villagers also contributed to the project by helping with the construction. Transcendental Media, the film’s production company, stated that 67 different people had officially helped with the La Source construction.

“Little by little, a project becomes a reality,” Lajeunesse said. “Everybody in the community helps to dig the floor, to lay the pipes ... Over a thousand people helped. If I had to pay every one of them, I’d have no money left.”

Lajeunesse’s efforts to help the community he left in 1989 did not end with the project that brought clean water, however. He will visit his village in July to start building a health clinic.

“It’s something I want to do for the community. No matter how long it takes, I will do it,” he said.