Just in time to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, leaving 316,000 people dead and millions displaced, an alumni-directed documentary chronicling two brothers’ return to the country has been released for online viewing.

“Lift Up,” which was co-directed by Huguens Jean ’03, ’11, Ph.D., electrical engineering, and Philip Knowlton ’03, visual arts, recently completed a year-long international film festival tour during which is was awarded the Amsterdam Film Fest Van Gogh Award, Documentary Directing and the Williamsburg Film Fest Outstanding Achievement, Feature Documentary award.

The film follows Jean as he and his brother, Clifford Muse, ’11, information systems, returned to Haiti in March 2010 to honor the memory of their grandfather, whose funeral they missed because of the earthquake. Read more about the documentary here.

“Lift Up,” a new documentary on post-quake Haiti co-directed by Huguens Jean ’12, Ph.D., electrical engineering, and Phillip Knowlton ’03, visual arts, will have its film festival premiere this Sunday, June 5, 5:30 p.m., at the 2011 DC Caribbean Film Festival.

The creators of “Lift Up” also recently announced that the film received the Best Documentary Directing Award at the 2011 Amsterdam Film Festival. The juried festival received entries from over 20 countries this year.

Held at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD, the DC Caribbean Film Festival is co-presented with the Caribbean Association of World Bank and IMF Staff (CAI), Caribbean Professional Network (CPN), Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) and TransAfrica Forum. “Like” the film on Facebook to access future screening details.