A new film about the Ethiopian Millennium to be released in mid 2008

In an email dated July 31, 2007, a person named Ben Mandell posted an online message on the art-topia forum summoning the participation of the Diaspora Ethiopian community in his upcoming film, Abyssinia Rising (working title). At the time, what I gathered from Ben’s email was that the pending work would be a feature length documentary film with a story line involving three characters (an Ethiopian American, a Beta-Israeli and a Muslim) and their eventual return to their home country, Ethiopia, for the Ethiopian Millennium.

Although I did not get the opportunity to respond to Ben’s initial email message, I recently learned that since then, Ben has traveled between the US, Israel and Ethiopia to make his dream a reality. In fact, Ben has journeyed from the production phase and is currently in post production so that the film could be released in mid 2008. At the time of his email, however, his inquiry had certainly made me wonder as to how likely it would be for a non-Ethiopian to actually realize the cultural and social significance of the new millennium to Ethiopians in general. Would this person have the credence to present us with an absolutely positive and impartial film that would reveal the true essence of this once in a life time occasion and attach substantive meaning and relevance to it? Furthermore, what would compel this young American filmmaker to dispense his hard earned money and travel thousands of miles to make a film about the Ethiopian Millennium?

Surely, film making is an expensive and a difficult undertaking. Depending on its complexity, for example, a five minute film clip on your television screen may have resulted from weeks of pre-production work, at least three hours of production, another three or more hours of editing and cost thousands of dollars. So, in Ben’s case, for instance, in addition to the possible exorbitant production cost of a feature length film, we would have to factor in travel and accommodation expenses, adding more challenge to the work at hand. Although I had thought that the project Ben was about to embark was quite commendable, I had also assumed that poor Ben may be wasting his time and money while making a documentary film especially in a time where we could argue about the existence of an Ethiopian film industry. I have valid reasons for making such a bold statement.

Ask any Ethiopian filmmaker and you would learn that the chance of breaking even from producing a film is very slim. While it is true that going to the movies is a growing trend in Addis Ababa, the money earned either from showing the film in the cinema halls or selling them on DVDs is quite nominal. There are many reasons leading to this predicament. First, getting the necessary funds for any film project can be a very challenging task. Because of this, the filmmakers must endure the burden of financing their own films. And once the filmmaking task is completed, they must also compete with other filmmakers to find a venue to show their films. Currently, there are ten places where one can watch a movie in Addis Ababa, out of which only two are equipped with proper projection and sound equipment (Alem Cinema and the new Edna Mall). The rest are either too old or happen to be theater halls where you are required to bring your own projector and sound system.

The problem doesn’t end there. In our current condition, there is no sensible business model by which filmmakers could financially benefit from their works. There is this thing called 20% “recreation tax” on ticket price (not on profit) which every film producer must pay in addition to the 15% VAT (value added tax) which has to be paid at the end of the year. Second, the cinema halls charge a hefty amount for the use of their facility (except in the case of Alem Cinema which would charge $20 birr per person and split half of it with the filmmaker). In addition, we do not have a well structured film promotion and distribution system set in place. Let us not also forget the growing problem of piracy. Venture the city of Addis and you would encounter young boys selling pirated CDs and DVDs of both old and newly released works in the open. So, with all these hurdles facing Ethiopian filmmakers, I had wondered where Ben’s new documentary film would stand, that is, if there is ever a large appeal to documentary films in Ethiopia.

A recent interview I conducted with Ben dispelled all the doubts and skepticism I had harbored initially. Through this interview, I have come to realize that Ben’s new film is in fact, grand in scope and aimed with a loftier purpose than what his initial email had implied. The truth is this filmmaker’s aspiration goes well beyond the passion he has for films or the need to earn a name or break even for his work! It stems from the humble and altruistic appreciation he has for other’s cultures. He has made it clear to me that nothing could compare to the unforgettable experience he had encountered while crafting this film in Ethiopia.

As an artist and an experienced filmmaker, Ben plans to use this film as a tool to capture truth and share his vision with the rest of the world. After the interview, I have also come to realize that without Ben’s new film, for many of us the Ethiopian millennium and its significance in our lives would perhaps remain just a memory etched in the back of our minds. It may be through this very film that we may come to cherish and reflect upon this important moment in time for years to come. I have no doubt that Ben’s new film would bring about hope, change and inspiration to every Ethiopian as well as serve as a true reminder that Abyssinia is indeed rising.

The interview I conducted with Ben about his upcoming film will be available in the next issue of www.theethiopianamerican.com and for more information on the film check out
www.abyssiniarising.com.

African Film Festival--March 7-11th

A friend of mine from TransAfrica Forum is organizing the annual African Film Festival. I volunteered two years ago and will do so this year. The film Festival will take place at the AFI Silver Theater in Silver Spring from March 7th-11th. Below is the information.


TransAfrica Forum, afrikafé and AFI
present the
New African Films Festival

@ AFI Silver Theatre
8633 Colesville Rd.Silver Spring, MD 20910

Featuring
DC Premieres of FESPACO winner EZRA, JUJU FACTORY and NAMIBIA: THE STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION
U.S. Premiere of TARTINA CITY and more

March 7 - 11, 2008


Also included is an Ousmane Sembene Retrospective
March 7 - 17, 2008 @ AFI

SCHEDULE

EZRA Friday, March 7, 7:00 (Opener)
JUJU FACTORY Saturday, March 8, 1:00
FARO, Goddess of the Waters Saturday, March 8, 3:00
CLOUDS OVER CONAKRY Saturday, March 8, 7:30
HIP HOP REVOLUTION Saturday, March 8, 9:45
NAMIBIA: The Struggle for Liberation Sunday, March 9, 1:00
HOLLOW CITY Sunday, March 9, 6:45
TARTINA CITY Sunday, March 9, 8:45
IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA Monday, March 10, 7:00 FREE!
DREAMS OF DUST Tuesday, March 11, 9:40

Sembene Retrospective:

FAAT KINE Friday, March 7, 9:45
MOOLAADE Saturday, March 8, 5:00
BLACK GIRL w/BOROM SARRET Sunday, March 9, 5:00
EMITAI Monday, March 10, 9:00
CAMP DE THIAROYE Tuesday, March 11, 6:45
GUELEWAAR Thursday, March 12, 7:00
CEDDO Thursday, March 12, 9:20
MANDABI Friday, March 14, 9:15;
Saturday, March 15, 1:00
XALA Saturday, March 15, 9:15;
Sunday, March 16, 9:15;
Monday, March 17, 8:45

For more info. visit: AFI www.AFI.com/Silver;

TransAfrica Forum: Email:info@transafricaforum.org http://www.transafricaforum.org/
afrikafé: Email: events2@afrikafe.com http://www.afrikafe.com/

Call TransAfrica Forum at 202.223.1960 ext. 137

Documentary On Ousmane Sembene

A rather terse but comprehensive documentary piece about the fascinating career of the late Senegalese film director, Ousmane Sembene has been uploaded on the main page of http://www.filmsofafrica.com/. I hope you will have the pleasure of watching it as much as I did. For your conveninece I will also post the link here.

I did not know that Sembene's career as a filmmaker began at the age of 40. That sounds late, but he is a proven champion in the field. His high caliber works define him as a great artist who has later come to be regarded as the "father of African Cinema". He has overcome all stumbling blocks to bring African films to the world. Sembene has made a total of 9 feature films that have great significance to African cinema and society in general.

New Films Added--Again

Yeap, remember my first post? Well, I did admit that the film database will continue to be an ongoing project. I am proud to know that quite a number of people are visiting the site. Most have admitted that they realize the importance of such endeavor. In fact, I have been getting congratulatory and encouraging remarks from visitors. I'm even more elated by the fact that there were consistent suggestions of films that are worthy to list in the database. Thank you so much!!

This very morning I received a couple of emails that suggested two documentary films. Lalibela, the Wonder and Mystery. I have had the opportunity to watch this film when it premiered at the World Bank six months ago. It taught me a lot about the wonderful 11 churches King Lalibela of Ethiopia had built 900 years ago. These are not ordinary churches as most were built underground from free standing basalt rocks. The ingenuity of the meticulously executed architectures as well as the sculptures that adorn the interior of the Churches still remain a mystery to this day. This is definitely a must watch movie!!!

The second film that really caught my attention was another documentary film entitled, Africa, Open for Business. Directed by award winning filmmaker and reporter, Carol Pineau, the film trailer made me realize the great potential Africa has to become a world leader in the present time. Africans are gearing up and taking great strides in the realm of business. I've posted the video trailer for this film on the main page. www.filmsofafrica.com

Hope you'll enjoy!

The Movie, 13 Months of Sunshine...Just Added

How did I possibly forget to upload this new exciting film a friend of mine had made recently? I've heard great reviews about 13 Months of Sunshine. Sadly I had also missed a screening they did in Washington DC sometime in November. At any rate, it is a story of love (sort of arranged for convenience, I shall say, but then the two characters discover that each has some affection towards one another). In short, two young Ethiopians falsely marry in order to meet their own interests. He is an American citizen living in Los Angeles. She is an Ethiopian immigrant who is in a desperate need for a green card. He needs money to open the coffee shop he has always dreamed of. She happens to have just that. While waiting thirteen months for the green card to arrive, each discovers that there is more to life than what they had bargained for.

This same info is now uploaded in the database: www.filmsofafrica.com

I had wondered why the film was given such a title, until I read more about it. I will direct your attention to the official website for more info: http://www.13monthsofsunshine.com/

New Film Uploaded: Africa Unite

Two annoucements to make today:

A good friend of mine suggested a film title to be posted on the http://www.filmsofafrica.com/ website. It's entitled, Africa Unite and came out just in 2007. I had the utmost pleasure of visiting the official site http://web.bobmarley.com/africaunite/ where I learned more about this exciting documentary film. As the title implies, the message is a call for all Africans to come together as one.

Film Director:Stephanie BlackCountry: Ethiopia, Ghana, and JamaicaYear Produced: 2007

Another good friend of mine also suggested a film I was aware of but did not post in my website. The film, Prince Among Slaves documents the life of an African Muslim Prince who was captured and sold into slavery. He works for about 40 years in the American south only to return to his homeland around age 67. The trailer says a lot and I have uploaded the link to it. Hope you'll enjoy it.

New Film Title Added: HERO

Dear friends,
This morning I just added a new film into the database. The title of the film is Hero and it is from Angola. From the description I read about the film, it is definately a film worth watching. Check it out on the main website under Angola: http://www.filmsofafrica.com

Semben'es Film, Black Girl

Ok, I did get the opportunity to watch Sembene's film, Black Girl which was produced in 1966. This is a black and white film that tells the story of a young African girl, Diouna, from Senegal. Enthralled by the prospect of being employed by two French couple, Diouna agrees to go to France and serve as a house maid. The film further documents the misery Diouna would face in the new household she has just been hired. Cleaning, cooking and watching after the kids become part of her daily chores. To make matters worse she is verbally abused by her employers--especially the lady of the house. Poor Diouna becomes nostalgic and feels that her life was much better when she lived in Dakar and that her delusions of progress by working for a white family were all wrong. She eventually becomes depressed and decides to end her life because she is certain that she will never see Darkar again. By the way, Sembene did an excellent job in getting my attention even though 95% of the film takes place in the house she works in. Total confinement!

I found this film very interesting because in many ways it relates to the first feature film I produced in 2000 (Mogzitwa/The Nanny) http://www.filmsofafrica.com/Ethiopia/mogzitwa.htm. Although I was not aware of Sembene's film at the time, both his film, Black Girl and my film, Mogiztwa have some similarities. Like Sembene's film, Mogzitwa also documents the life of an immigrant girl who comes to America, eluded by the prospect of an improved life in a foreign country. There is the element of domestic abuse in both films. The only difference is Sembene's film deals with race relations while mine deals with domestic abuse within the same race. The main character in my film gets hired by her own relatives who only brought her from Ethiopia to meet their own interest. For very little money this new comer would babysit their child, cook for the family, and clean the house. Disconnected from her family back home and the rest of the world, the character in my film is forced to totally rely on the couples who have hired her. Her mails get censored sometimes, trashed. Her telephone conversations are secretly recorded. The lady of the house feels threatened at times because she thinks she is getting older and begins to suspect that her own husband is paying extra attention to the young and hottie nanny. The only way to get rid of this impending problem is to return the girl back to her homeland, to which the nanny refuses. There is a reason I decided to make my character choose this rout. One reason is because unlike Sembene's film, I felt it would be important to emphasize on the notion of immigration. Yes, both Sembene's chacater (Dinou) and mine (Mimi) have at one point felt that they were not happy with their lives back home. They have wished and vowed to change that. However difficult it may be, killing oneself would not improve the situation. Yes, these two characters are constantly pressured, physically abused and thus psychologically affected. They are both humans and they would think of all possibilities to exit from the situation. True enough in one scene even the character in my film, Mimi is seen as she attempts suicide like Dinou in Sembene's film. I wish Dinou hadn't done that. I wish that she tried various ways to escape the situation and that thre were more dramatic moments in the film that would paint her as a strong character. To me, Dinou was meek and she dies that way. Yes, I felt sad by the decision she ultimately made, but I wanted to see more.

Ousmane Sembene's Film

Yes, I've dedicated this coming weekend, "ousmane Sembene's weekend". I will be watching two of his greatest films, "Black Girl" and "Moolade". Did you know that this Senegalese film director is considered "the father of African cinema?". He has produced many award winning films, most of which deal with the topic of social change and movement. It is so unfortunate that this prolific filmmaker passed away on June 2007.

I'll write a report on the two films I'll be watching this weekend....

About Films Of Africa Website

Ok, here it is, my first website (http://www.filmsofafrica.com/) which serves as a database for all African films (if that venture is possible at all). To be honest, this endeavor began as part of a class project. Why did I choose this particular subject matter? Well, for one, I am from Africa and happen to be an independent filmmaker (well, this is actually a part-time hobby for me right now, because filmmaking is a very difficult undertaking that requires a lot of money, which I don't have). Secondly, there are a plethora of great African films out there. However, finding information on most African films has been quite an ardous task for me. So, I thought that it would be a splendid idea to create a website where users could access such information quite easily. It is my hope that that as this website (http://www.filmsofafrica.com/) evolves into something grand (in the coming months) it will help other independent African filmmakers, film enthusiasts or film historians get pertinent information. Currently, I am still developing the site. I know a lot of features are missing and I'm hoping that visitors will forgive me for that! I promise to add a lot more pictures and even movie trailers as I make more progress.



By the way, thanks for reading.