Zombies

Zombification, a phenomenon described since the 17th century in Haiti, belongs to the beliefs of the voodoo religion. Aimed at maintaining social order, this practice would result from the convergence of magico-religious traditions from sub-Saharan Africa, the transatlantic slavery routes and the control of poisons by indigenous populations of the Caribbean. Judged by secret societies, condemned and drugged, an individual is buried alive, exhumed then exiled. He then becomes a being under control, subject to the will of a master called bokor. The figure of the zombie, from the victim of a curse to the folk legend, has abundantly nourished fantastic literature and the international film industry, becoming today the symbol of a contagious death on a global scale. By questioning and renewing knowledge about zombies, this work directed by Philippe Charlier intends to explore the origins of this phenomenon and question the real and the supposed, mystery and research.