Following a brief history of Haiti from Columbus onward, this short documentary recounts the goals and accomplishments of Jean Bertrand Aristide's Lavalas government.

Translated into English as "avalanche," Lavalas meant to bring democracy, land reform, and human rights to Haiti, one among the poorest nations in the world, where 20% of newborns die within seven days, and another 20% do not live to see their fifth birthdays.

But on September 29, 1991, 239 days into his administration, Aristide was overthrown in a coup d'etat led by General Raoul Cedras. As Aristide speaks from exile about his hopes for his country's future, HAITI paints a dually promising and grim picture of this troubled Caribbean nation.