Ethiopian Directors

Below are some of the best Ethiopian directors ever. Click on their pictures to discover more about them.

A Brief History of Ethiopian Cinema

The history of cinema in Ethiopia can be traced back to the early 20th century, around the time when Emperor Menelik II was in power. The first film screening in Ethiopia is reported to have occurred in 1898, introduced by French and Armenian businessmen. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that Ethiopian cinema began to take shape as an industry, following the establishment of the Ethiopian Film Corporation in 1964 by Emperor Haile Selassie. This period saw the production of propagandist and educational films, often under the supervision of foreign directors. The most notable film from this era is the historical drama “Toussaint Louverture,” which was filmed in Ethiopia in 1967 by French director Michel Drach.

In the post-revolution period of the 1980s, Ethiopian cinema faced numerous challenges due to the Derg regime’s strict censorship and the country’s economic difficulties. Despite this, some filmmakers managed to produce works that are considered the foundation of modern Ethiopian cinema. One such director is Haile Gerima, who, although based in the United States, is acclaimed for his film “Harvest: 3000 Years”, a powerful critique of class inequality in Ethiopia. Another notable figure from this period is Tesfaye Gessesse, who directed “Yaweta Menfesawi” (The Spirit of the Candle), one of the few films that managed to navigate the complex political landscape of the time.

The revival of Ethiopian cinema began in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the advent of digital technology, which made filmmaking more accessible. Directors such as Theodros Teshome and Haile Gerima have continued to make their mark. Teshome’s film “Kezkaza Wolafen” was a major hit in Ethiopia, leading to a wave of commercially successful Ethiopian films. Gerima, on the other hand, has continued to receive international acclaim, most notably for his epic “Teza”, which examines the impact of the Derg regime on Ethiopian society. The new millennium has seen the emergence of filmmakers such as Yared Zeleke, whose film “Lamb” became the first Ethiopian film to be included in the Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival.