Haile Gerima - Director - Films as Director. In Sankofa, we hear the chilling sound of human flesh as it is seared with a hot branding iron and see the barren faces of the human cargo; women are stripped of all dignity and subject to the continual sexual exploitation of their owners; human necks are enclosed in iron shackles and rape is.
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.Haile Gerima was born on this date in 1946. He is an Ethiopian American filmmaker.Born in Gondor, Ethiopia in 1946, Gerima is the fourth child of ten children. His father was a writer and his mother a teacher. As a youth Gerima performed in his father's theater troupe, which presented original and often historical drama, always submersed in the genuine culture of Ethiopia. Gerima came to the U.S. In 1967 to study at the Goodman School of Drama. He slowly realized that 'with cinema I could control many more things than n the theatre.'
Gerima went on to receive his MFA from UCLA in 1976 and to produce several films. Hour Glass, and Child of Resistance were his first films, Bushmama and Harvest 3,000 Years followed, all produced during his years at UCLA. At UCLA he was an important member of the Los Angeles School of black filmmakers. He is a professor of film at in Washington, DC since 1975. His best known film is probably Sankofa (1993), a film about slavery.Gerima founded Mypheduh Films (MFI) Distribution Company in 1982.
MFI distributes Gerima's films and films by other filmmakers of African descent from around the world. As an independent filmmaker, and approaching filmmaking this way Gerima believes that he can maintain the content of his films, without having to follow the 'formula' dictated by 'Hollywood films.' So far the audience response to his work affirms the necessity for films that freely express our own stories that have been 'economically censored' from the screen. After completing Harvest, Gerima produced Wilmington 10 - USA 10,000, Ashes and Embers, After Winter: Sterling Brown, SANKOFA, Through the Door of No Return (Co-producer and editor), Imperfect Journey, and Adwa - An African Victory. He is currently working on 1) Adwa Part II - The Children of Adwa.He is also working on The Maroons Film project, this film will investigate the existence of free territories during slavery run and controlled by people who had escaped slavery. Sankofa Video and Bookstore was opened in 1996 in order to combat the refusal of chain video stores to carry the work of Gerima and other Black filmmakers. The store attempts to make such films available to a broader public while at the same time demonstrating that movies can and should be held to the same high standards as good literature.
Gerima is a father of five children.Reference:Ada Babino at JEZEBEL FILMWORKS 202-232-3400.
We spoke with the internationally acclaimed director Haile Gerima about his latest film Teza. (Photo: Gezaw Tesfaye)Tadias MagazineBy: Martha Z. Gash Haile is a born storyteller and an attentive one at that. His characters are always complicated and confusing, yet educational. That’s why I consider him a teacher and an artist and a true independent filmmaker, in the literal sense of the word.
My favorite line here: “I would rather have less money and more freedom.” For me, that’s a mark of a true artist. Allow me to congratulate Haile and his team on the success of Teza in Europe and Africa and for all the deserved awards it has collected. Are there any plans in the near future to bring Teza to the West Coast?
If not, what can we do to make it happen in a University setting?. Ayele Bekerie. Gashe Halie did play his role magnificently to remember that generation and he has challenged us all to read that generation’s experience to pick some lessons about us and about our country.
That generation took a bend to destruction by trusting communism as a recipe to cure our ills. Now, another generation is taking a new bend by selling its soul to materialism. Money is becoming the only religion around. We need to stand in the gap and give a wake up call before another destruction is consumed.
Our God fearing forefathers were poor by western standards. But we haven’t yet grown up to treasure what they have passed to us with great sacrifice. Senait Abebe. What a sweet moment for Gashe Haile. Finally Ethiopians are welcoming him home as the long lost son and brother. There was a time that Haile was not endorsed or embraced by fellow Ethiopians of his generation.
In fact many were disrespectful of him because of his views and ambitions as a young man to be a filmmaker. However, African-Americans have been the biggest supporters of Professor Haile and received and continues to receive big love for Sankofa and others.
I am glad to see that Haile is telling his story and Ethiopians are listening. What a beautiful thing after a long, difficult, and lonely journey as an artist. I agree with Ayele Bekerie that “Teza signifies Gashe Haile’s notion of the audacity of invention.” Congratulations Gash Haile!. Alefe. I feel that this film is in many ways, not only about humans caught in the workings of a revolution, but in itself a revolution. It has won major prizes in the west but its the way that Africans have responded that really reflects its importance.
Who would have known that when we tell our own stories, stories with beauty and depth bound within our traditions, others would be listening? This is an act of courage, an act of saying to Africa, to Ethiopia, you matter and exist within yourself. Wonderful.
ermyas. I feel it is too pessimistic! Don’t get me wrong I love Haile and I think he is a brilliant filmmaker. However, I feel the subject matters that he invokes are too harsh, too painful, too complicated, they focus on the negative aspects of life.
True, they are based on realities and historical facts. But they are always peppered with Haile’s gloomiest possible view. I am hoping the next big hit from Haile will be a comedy:-) Nonetheless, I always watch his movies because I think he is great. As to Teza, it is universal story of love, loss, innocence, idealism, courage, defeat, and of course, the unnecessary barbaric-violence. People, take note. Well done!.
ABEL. I have not gotten a chance to watch the movie yet, and to be honest, until recently, I did not even have the fortune to know about Haile Gerima other than the fact that he made a movie I saw bits and pieces of a long time ago. I always heard his name, but never took the time to know about him, and through knowing about him, to know about me and the connection to Ethiopia.
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I was fortunate enough to talk for a few minutes with him recently, and I find his humility and his intellect mind boggling. I often get discouraged when I see purported “leaders” who claim the mantle of leadership while sitting on their arses. Then once in a while I run into a man like Haile Germa, and I realize that negative experiences should never overshadow the blessings of positive interactions. And what Gash Gerima said is so true, the young generation, the next generation of Ethiopians have the power inherent in us to make a tremendous impact in our community and beyond.
Too often though, we let our negative experiences be our crutch for our inaction and our frustration be validation for our inertia. Reading this article in between coffee and an excel spreadsheet gave me pause, because I hear in Haile’s voice a clarion call for action, it is up to us to choose if we are the lost generation, if we will let our self-centered and ego-driven selves destroy the good that exists in our community, or if we shed the burden of past failures and clutch onto a branch of unity. I hope, Gash Haile, that your words serve to motivate one person for even a few minutes to reassess and take action. Through your words, I was able to identify a weakness in my own persona, I hope you reach others through your words and through their prisms of thoughts.Ameseganalew. Allan. Although I am not Ethiopian by birth I am deeply connected and involved with Ethiopian people, culture, affairs and lifestyles and I admire the accomplishments of a filmmaker such as Haile Gerima, as well as other Ethiopian artists, athletes and scientists.
Teza stands out as a great testament to this particular movie-makers vision, wisdom and intelligence and I am even more proud of the fact that he was interviewed by an Ethiopian female journalist. It is a great moment when a “star” movie-maker is interviewed by one of his own people, especially one with such astute, wide ranging and insightful questions as Ms Tegegn.
It was an absolute pleasure to read this article. I wish Mr Gerima well and all the best to Ms Tegegn who seems to have a great future ahead of her, if not already an accomplished career.I look forward to seeing her work in the Washington Post, Time Magazine or other international publications. martha tefera.
Marta checkThank you for this article. But most importantly Gashe Haile Girma, thank you is not enough for your efforts in making this film. I sat watching the film with my parents and my grandmother. Both of my parents could recall what happened in the film as it reflected much of what they had long had in their memories.
Their life and mine has been revealed in the film like never before on the big screen. Gashe, I could go on and and on about how the film made me feel but it is not the time and place I think to be honest. But I do have one question, could you please teach me more of my history please?. Eskinder Asfaw. Gash Haile is one of an incredible, intellectual and true Ethiopian that I’m proud of him.
I have one question for him. What are you doing to share the immense knowledge that you have to the young generation of Ethiopia.
I believe there are Ethiopians with a great potential but they are left with little opportunities, don’t you think they require your unreserved support??? I assume we have to nurture our people so that we will have few Haile Gerima if not many.Wish you all the best and long life to you!!!!. Dorowet. Our history has been snatched and told by the non Ethiopians and we believe that version but which is wrong and misrepresenting. I can give you some tips about the Ethiopian philosopher Zeareayakob, but even we don’t accepted him yet as a thinker. We are honored to have new philosopher ato Haile Gerima. He is not only a filmmaker and story teller, but also a narrator and a shining constellations of Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Perseus and Cepheus with his films Teza, Adwa, Bush Mama and Sankofa.
Dereje Gashu. Long live Haile, you said it well “I would rather have less money and more freedom” Many film makers had great ideas but lost control of their story due to their financial strugle, as a result, those with the money get to decide what to make of the movie.
Gash Haile is far the greatest Ethiopian filmmaker, philosopher, and teacher. He challenges us to question the purpose of our existence. The great philosopher Socrates once said “The unexamined life is not worth living” by examining, he means asking question like why do we exist,what is our purpose in this world, being a good citizen? Haile is living the examined life. He proved it by choosing to direct his film with less money than sell his story to other with more money.
As I see it, for Haile, the most important thing is passing the message as genuine as it can be. He was right when he said the new generation is materialistic. We value our car, house or even clothes more than we value our culture. Maybe it is time we start listining to wise individuals like gash Haile.Amesegnalew. Pingback on. Pingback on. Pingback on.
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