Haile gerimas films mirror ethiopias struggle the new. Haile gerima is an independent ethiopian filmmaker, based in washington, d. Gerima s film stands as a richly expansive portrait of a man caught between an untenable exile and the terrible consequences of his homelands violent past. He finished his first films hour glassand child of resistance in 1972. Filmmaker haile gerima born african american registry.
A film by haile gerima, 2008, ethiopia france germany, fiction, 2h20 starring aron arefe, abiye tedla, takelech beyene more on africine. In celebration of bobfest 2017, the auburn avenue research library, in collaboration with ftp movement, will host a screening of the haile gerima s acclaimed film, sankofa. On june 1st, gerima is launching an indiegogo campaign to finance the production of this new dramatic feature. Haile s birthstone is aquamarine and birth flower is daffodil. It has been a long time since an african film has to this extent drawn us into the epic.
Haile gerima director teza halie gerima arrived in the united states from his native gondar, ethiopia, to study acting and directing at the goodman theater in chicago, illinois. Monica film center santa monica monica film center santa monica. After several years spent studying medicine in germany, he finds the country of his youth replaced by turmoil. As a youth gerima performed in his fathers theater troupe, which presented original and often historical drama, always submersed in the genuine culture of ethiopia. With kofi ghanaba, oyafunmike ogunlano, alexandra duah, nick medley. Halie gerima arrived in the united states from his native gondar, ethiopia, to study acting and directing at the goodman theater in chicago, illinois. Haile gerima smithsonian african american film festival. Haile gerima 1 1946 filmmaker embraced america, shunned ethiopia 2 turned to film to reclaim his culture 3 chose howard university over hollywood 4 struggled to make sankofa 5 works continued to reclaim history 6 sources 7 filmmaker haile gerima 8s 1993 film sankofa follows a. Sankofa 1993, like its ethiopianborn filmmaker haile gerima, is important both in african and african american cinema history. His criticallyacclaimed motion picture, sankofa, was released. New york tadias haile gerimas awardwinning film teza is set to make its u.
Find similar and related movies for teza 2008 haile gerima on allmovie. One mans journey through three decades of political uproar in ethiopia sets the stage for this independent historical drama from director haile gerima. Teza, set in ethiopia and germany, chronicles the return of the african intellectual anberber to his. He later transferred to the theater department at ucla where he completed the masters program in film. Teza is an excellent film concerning the journey of an ethiopian intellectuals return home after being educated abroad in germany. Since 1975, haile has been an influential film professor at howard. Haile gerima is an independent filmmaker and professor of film at howard university in washington, dc. Haile gerima s american masterpiece has had a transformative impact on audiences. Since 1975, film professor at howard university in washington, dc.
I admire and love this guy he is such an inspiration and i love the fact that he is a true ethiopian. Teza is an epic about the turbulent history of ethiopia seen from the perspective of a moderate intellectual who tries to maintain his integrity in barbaric circumstances. The film chronicles anberbers internal struggle to stay true, both to himself and to his homeland, but above all, teza explores the possession of memory a right humanity mandates that each of us have the right to own our past. Born in gondor, ethiopia in 1946, gerima is the fourth child of ten children. The film was made in 2009, however, i missed this release, probably like most of you, because it was not broadcast on any major stations, nor was it distributed to any of the major theatres. Teza is set in germany and ethiopia, and examines the displacement of african intellectuals, both at home and abroad, through the story of a young, idealistic ethiopian doctor anberber. The ethiopian intellectual anberber returns to his native country during the repressive totalitarian regime of haile mariam mengistu and the recognition of his own displacement and powerlessness at the dissolution of his peoples humanity and social values. Haile gerima s new film, teza, stars the ethiopianamerican actor aaron arefe as a man from a small village who goes from idealistic student to political exile. Friday night i had the privilege of attending a screening of the film, teza and listening to comments by the filmmaker, haile gerima. I also had the chance to say a few words to haile gerima.
Born and raised in ethiopia, gerima emigrated to the united states in 1967. Now, duvernays film distribution network array has rereleased his 1982 film ashes and embers, and you can watch it. Teza morning dew tells the story of a young ethiopian as he returns from west germany after completing his university degree there. Haile gerimas new film, teza, stars the ethiopianamerican actor aaron arefe as a man from a small village who goes from idealistic student. Haile gerima was born in gondar, ethiopia, on march 4, 1946. Apr 09, 20 teza won many film awards, including the top award at the 2009 panafrican film and television festival of ouagadougou. To learn more about the filmmaker and support his film campaign, visit and check the campaign calendar for live. Teza, trailer, directed by haile gerima ethiopia youtube. The tone is not too bombastic and, despite so much misery, a dripping tap is the greatest torment. Teza is a film directed by haile gerima with aaron arefe, abiye tedla, takelech beyene, teje tesfahun, year.
Since 1975, haile has been an influential film professor at howard university in washington, d. I admire and love this guy he is such an inspiration and i. The film follows mona, an african american model on a fashion shoot in ghana who undergoes a journey back in time and place to a slave plantation in north america where she becomes shola, a house slave. The film by gerima is a corresponding voice to theo eshetus blood is not fresh water from 1997 which is an experimental journey in form of a film with eshetus grandfather who had been an ethiopian diplomat and the writer of the first books on ethiopian history. Haile gerima born march 4, 1946 is an ethiopian filmmaker who lives and works in the united states. Teza won the top award at the 2009 fespaco festival. Empty few contemporary films burn with the passion and authenticity of teza, haile gerima s elaborate drama chronicling three decades in the life of an ethiopian man anguished by his countrys. Teza 2008 is an ethiopian film about mengistu haile mariam, ethiopias dictator from 1974 to 1991.
Rebellion film series, sankofa follows shola, a black model who is transported back to a west indian plantation after participating in a fashion shoot on shores of the slave castles in ghana. Since 1975, he has served as a distinguished professor of film at howard university. Following in the footsteps of his father, a dramatist and playwright. The return of the african intellectual anberber to his native country during the repressive marxist regime of haile mariam mengistu and the recognition of his own displacement and powerlessness at the. Find out is haile gerima dating anyone right now and who at celebscouples. Born in gondar, ethiopia, gerima is a writer, producer and director, perhaps best known for his acclaimed 1993 film sankofa. Few contemporary films burn with the passion and authenticity of teza, haile gerimas elaborate drama chronicling three decades in the life of an ethiopian man anguished by his countrys social. Haile gerima is an independent filmmaker and professor of film at howard university in washington, d. Leading the japanese lineup is akires to kame achilles and the tortoise directed by takeshi kitano. Asia could win the golden lion for best film for the fourth year running. Haile gerima is an independent filmmaker born in ethiopia in 1946. This is what makes teza such a human film, one of best films i have seen about war and society. Rebellion film movement along with charles burnett. Teza won the top award at the 2009 panafrican film and television festival of ouagadougou.
An extraordinary film, dense and lyrical, sharply political and deeply personal. An ethiopian film director, screenwriter, writer, producer, and philosopher. This empowering film tells a story of slavery and of the african diaspora from the perspective of the enslaved, challenging the romanticizing of slavery prevalent in american culture. Haile gerima was born in gondar on monday, march 4, 1946 baby boomers generation. Haile gerima, the director and producer of this important historic landmark, joins the voices of ethiopian historians, elders, priests, poets and singers, capturing on film the powerful education and experience that shaped his consciousness. A conversation with haile gerima at tadias magazine. Mar 30, 2010 haile gerimas new film, teza, stars the ethiopianamerican actor aaron arefe as a man from a small village who goes from idealistic student to political exile.
Haile gerima director life, age, zodiac birthday celebs. Powerful, moving and highly acclaimed, director haile gerima s sankofa is a masterpiece of cinema that has had a transformative impact on audiences since its release in 1993. Yetut lij child of the breast is a new film by the international awardwinning filmmaker, behind teza, sankofa, bush mama and harvest 3000 years. The film chronicles anberbers internal struggle to stay true, both to himself and to his homeland, but above all, teza explores the possession of memory a right humanity mandates that each of us have. A selfabsorbed black american fashion model on a photo shoot in africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the west indies where she experiences firsthand the physical and psychic horrors of chattel slavery, and eventually the redemptive power of community and rebellion as. He lives and works in the united states and is a member of the l. Haile gerima net worth 2018, biowiki celebrity net worth. Haile gerima celebrity profile check out the latest haile gerima photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Special jury prize and best screen play award venice film festival jury award innsbruckaustria. Set in ethiopia and germany, the film chronicles the return of an ethiopian intellectual to his country of birth during the repressive marxist regime of mengistu haile mariam and the recognition of his own displacement and powerlessness at the dissolution of his peoples humanity and social values. Haile gerima s cinematic rendering of this is perhaps one of his greatest filmmaking achievements. In the fall of 2008, gerima released his latest feature film, teza, the epic tale of an ethiopian expatriate who returns from germany to a homeland torn asunder by ideological extremism. The film chronicles anberbers internal struggle to stay true, both to himself and to his homeland, but above all, teza explores the possession of memory a right humanity mandates that each of us have the right to own our pasts. Sep 17, 2009 a conversation with haile gerima published by tadias magazine september 17th, 2009 in featured, history and profiles.
I received my undergraduate degree from howard university in the spring of 1993, and i was lucky enough to take one of my final courses, film directing, with awardwinning filmmaker haile gerima. Check out haile gerima s yetut lij film on indiegogo. Sankofa is a visceral account of the transatlantic slave trade told from the perspective of the enslaved. Teza a film by haile gerima posted by owen barder january 19, 2009 leave a comment on teza a film by haile gerima we went to see teza last night, a newish film by haile gerima which won best screenplay and the special jury prize at the venice film festival last year. With teza 2008, haile gerima renews the project of his magnificent harvest. Teza set during the repressive regime of ethiopian dictator haile mariam mengistu, teza unfolds through the eyes of a germaneducated intellectual who returns to his homeland full of naive. Everything you need to grow your business click here to learn more. Ethiopianborn haile gerima, a professor of film at howard university, spent 15. The film chronicles anberbers internal struggle to stay true, both to himself and to his homeland, but above all, teza explores the possession of memory a right. Haile gerimas ashes and embers now available on netflix.
Written and directed by the ethiopianborn filmmaker haile gerima sankofa, ashes and embers over more than a decade, this film is an. Afterward, he relocated to washington, dc, to teach at howard universitys department of radio. His films have received wide international acclaim. With aaron arefe, abiye tedla, takelech beyene, teje tesfahun. Haile gerimas films mirror ethiopias struggle the new york times. Last july, we reported on selma director ava duvernays personal twitter campaign to support influential filmmaker haile gerima s indegogo campaign for a new film. The film follows the journey of anberber, a medical student who goes to germany to be educated with the idea of returning to his homeland to do good and uplift his people. Haile gerima country ethiopia, germany, france year 2008 medium 35mm length 140 language amharic, german, english producer haile gerima, karl baumgartner, mariemichele cattelain, philippe avril production company negodgwad production, pandora film produktion, unlimited, wdr sales the match factory gmbh writer haile gerima cinematography. Gerima s film is a meditation on globalization, political corruption, familial. African cinema is also well repped with ethiopian director haile gerima s teza and algerian helmer tariq teguia is screening inland. Anberber aaron arefe was born and raised in ethiopia, but he became disillusioned with the poverty and political turmoil of his country, and in the 1970s he relocated to germany to study medicine.