In Haiti, many parents are forced by destitution and desperation to give away their children. The children—who may be as young as four years old—then go to live and work for other families as unpaid domestic servants or slaves. They are known as restavek children.

Children of Shadows follows the children as they go through their daily chores—the endless cycle of cooking, washing, sweeping, mopping, going to the market, or going to run errands. In heartbreaking interviews the children speak about the lives they are forced to lead. Their "aunts" (adoptive caretakers) speak openly and proudly of the vast mountain of work that "their" restavek does for them. The camera goes deep into the countryside to interview the peasant families as to what kind of situation would force them to give away one or more of their children.

Narrated entirely by the people themselves in their native Creole with English subtitles and with original Haitian music laced throughout the film, this affecting documentary takes on a topic not often talked about.

Award of Merit, Latin American Studies Association, 2004
Vues d’Afrique, 2002
Best Human Rights Documentary, Barcelona, 2002
International Documentary Festival, Amsterdam, 2001