Adwa

The 1896 Battle of Adwa―in which the Ethiopian people defeated the invading Italian forces―is the framework for this lyrical portrait of Gerima’s homeland and his family. Drawing from a remarkable trove of archival materials and new interviews, Gerima recounts both the official history of Adwa and the ways in which this anti-colonial victory has been recounted in mediums ranging from paintings and monuments to folklore, schoolyard songs, and poems (including one recited by Gerima’s own father). Thrumming to a score by the legendary Ethio-Jazz composer Mulatu Astatke, Adwa is a rich addition to Gerima’s oeuvre.

Director: Haile Gerima. 1999. 96 minutes. USA/Germany/Ethiopia. Color. English, Amharic. 35mm. 

All film screenings of Imperfect Journey: Haile Gerima and His Comrades are available here.