ANOTHER LIST OF 3 ETHIOPIAN UNDERRATED MOVIES

I don’t blame anyone for not expecting anything from any Ethiopian movie. The movies made most of the time have the same plot that I think one of the main reasons that I picked these 3 is because they don’t have the usual romantic story arc that most Ethiopian movies follow. Nevertheless I wouldn’t stop hoping to still see something great because for me everything feels more meaningful the more familiar it is. Familiar themes, characters speaking the same language as I do, jokes that I heard a million times in my household broadcasted on a movie give me far better pleasure than do most foreign blockbusters.

Leaving the reasons for the lack of good movies in Ethiopia to be explained for someone behind, I will discuss instead, on those which succeeded to exceed my expectations by adding meaning and unique perspective to their story, cinematography and over all production.

#1 kemis yelebesku’let (The day I wore a dress)

With out exaggeration, I have watched this movie 5 times at least. I have never seen a movie so real that it is almost unbearable to listen to certain conversations at the movie’s climax without wishing it to be bad dream. With a beautiful character introduction, it has the best first 10 minutes I have seen in any Ethiopian movie.

We are introduced to the protagonist Samrawit as her psychology professor tries to explain behavioral theory by taking her as an example and talking how her upbringing affects her personality in a classroom she was attending. We learn that she grew up with male friends, and that generally she doesn’t fit into the societal roles of a woman.

This movie perfectly captures gender roles and the effect opposite sex friendships has on people’s lives. This movie raises the seemingly ever existing question of can male and female ever be best friends apart from the movie’s main theme of resilience and integrity during a difficult time.

This movie is all about family and friendship. That relatability made me comfortable at first only for a few minutes later everything to change in ways I didn’t expect. Through those fast plot changes, I was only left with my own judgment of what message the movie is trying to convey.

And that is no matter how we decide to lead our life, at the end of the day nature seems to have it is own way of working. Mistakes happen in life but that doesn’t mean, as shown by the main character’s last decision, we totally don’t have our own perspective on the measures needed to be taken to make life better than it would otherwise be.

#2 Lnleyay

Another one on young friendships, this heart wrenching movie has so much power for only being a high school story. Following a high school student named Amanuel who is on his way to US on a scholarship depicts how life changes after the news of his leaving reaches his friends and how dreaded that time becomes as it approaches.

The unavoidable urge to try and understand the past just when circumstances seem to be changed for good is shown through the main character’s last minute rush for meaningful conversations of reflection. It was discussed subtly, how the attempt to understand oneself changes someone and how that will inevitably create frictions on existing relationships.

This movie taught me how important it is to focus on the present moment and spend time on what we all our lives valued the most. It was shown how, in the main character’s case, no matter important it is trying to find peace in the past, fixating on a past and future at such a critical time has its own risks too, as shown in the movie leading to a very strange ending that we don’t see often.

This movie transfers a very good message subtly in a relatable, normal seeming high school movie plot. It so tragically explores the not so discussed painful loss of friendships at the age of early 20’s that most of us resonate with.

#3 Zetegn mot

I don’t think I have ever cared for the well being of a character the way I tenderly followed the story of a working woman named “Hidar” in this movie. This magnificent story, written by Dawit Tesfaye, is rich in every aspect that it doesn’t feel it was released 10 years ago.

This movie follows Hidar, a widowed man “Abegaz” and his daughter “Blien” who together travel to work by a bus every morning which later is discussed to have a symbolic meaning of life. Upon the unfortunate loss of her mother Hidar, played beautifully by Birtukan Befekadu, denies that fact and seemed to be in a place where she didn’t even want to hear anything that might remind her of it.

The widowed man played by Admasu Kebede (aymro), is constantly faced with the painful responsibility of breaking the truth to his daughter and his friend throughout the movie. And it shows how sometimes to care to someone is to tell the much needed truth even when it is painful.

Loss, grief, and denial are depicted through characters that feel so real that they seem to be based on the people we know around already. How people in our lives, no matter how close we are to them, fill our gaps by every little thing they do or say is discussed throughout the movie by almost all characters including the main character’s co-workers who each bring their own sub context for the movie. 

There is a lot of symbolism in this movie. Every detail that I find out I missed when I first watched it astonishes me by how many meanings and life lessons it perfectly packed in its 1 hr and 45 minutes screen time and how new it feels every time I see it again.

If I have loved this movie less maybe I would be able to talk about it more. I can’t say anything more except to recommend it to anyone who haven’t watched it already.