ETHIOPIAN MILLENNIUM

September 12 is the start, according to the Julian calendar, of the millennium year 2000. For Ethiopians across the globe the count down to this big event has begun. In order to mark the transition into the third Millennium, Africa in the Picture presents a varied Ethiopian film program in the Rialto cinema (Amsterdam). The festivities will include Ethiopian snacks and wicked DJ beats as well. In the following days Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam will screen some of the best Ethiopian classics and recent films.

Together, these films, manage to give a panoramic view of Ethiopian history. The documentary ADWA, AN AFRICAN HISTORY tells the tale of the unlikely victory in 1896, when a primitively armoured Ethiopian force defeated a well armoured Italian regiment. YE WONZ MAIBEL: DELUGE provides a personal view on the Ethiopian student ‘revolution’ and its aftermath – a brutal military dictatorship. It is a story of love and betrayal, idealism and the seduction of power. THE FATHER is a short gripping thriller about the high price painter Alazar pays for his actions during the Derg’s reign of terror.

In THE 11th HOUR a father embarks on a dangerous journey in order the safe his daughter’s life and in the fairy-tale-like MENGED a father and son set out on a trip as well. MENGED, features Ethiopian soap star Shewaferaw Dessalegn as the father, and was awarded the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and the Golden Horse at the Fespaco Film Festival in 2007.
Besides the exclusive film program, Africa in the Picture, together with the SEM founfation, is also organizing a debate among Ethiopian filmmakers and producers.

OPENING ETHIOPIAN MILLENIUM

The festive opening of the AFRICA IN THE PICTURE Ethiopian Millennium film programme will be accompanied by Ethiopian snacks and music, the showing of the films MENGED (Daniel Taye Workou) and ADWA, AN AFRICAN VICTORY (Haile Gerima) and conclude with wicked DJ beats.

Fri Sept 7 from 18:00 hrs onwards in Rialto cinema, Amsterdam.

DEBATE: ETHIOWOOD AND BLUE NILE

A debate on the current developments in Ethiopian film and television, like ETHIOWOOD and BLUE NILE. The latter is the only private Ethiopian TV-programme. This famous entertainment programme can be taken off the air at any time by the government. With director Ermias Wolde Amlak (THE FATHER) and producer Solomon Bekele (MENGED, which is shown at the festival). The debate is organized in collaboration with SEM (Stichting Ethiopisch Millennium).


Sun Sept 9 from 17:00 hrs onwards in Rialto cinema, Amsterdam. Tickets costs € 5 (€ 3,50 with discount). Free admission with a ticket to one of the films from the Special Focus Ethiopian Millennium.