Teza (film)

Teza (Amharic: ጤዛ Ṭeza, "Dew") is a 2008 Ethiopian drama film about the Derg period in Ethiopia.[1] Teza won the top award at the 2009 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou.[2] The film was directed and written by Haile Gerima.[3]

Teza
Poster
Directed byHaile Gerima
Produced byPhilippe Avril
Karl Baumgartner
Marie-Michèlegravele Cattelain
Haile Gerima
Written byHaile Gerima
Music byVijay Iyer
Jorga Mesfin
CinematographyMario Masini
Edited byHaile Gerima
Loren Hankin
Distributed byMypheduh Films (US)
Running time
140 minutes
CountryEthiopia
Germany
France
LanguageAmharic
English
German

Synopsis

Set in 1970s Ethiopia, Teza tells the story of a young Ethiopian as he returns from West Germany a postgraduate. Anberber comes back to a country at the height of the Cold War and under the Marxist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam. Working in a health institution he witnesses a brutal murder and finds himself at odds with the revolutionary party running the country. He is ordered by the regime to take up a post in East Germany and uses this opportunity to escape to the West until the Berlin Wall falls and Ethiopia's military regime is overthrown.

Now aged 60, Anberber finally returns to his home village. Although he finds comfort from his ageing mother he feels alienated from those around him by his absence from home for so long and is disillusioned and haunted by his past.[4]

Production

According to the director, Haile Gerima, who is also the executive producer and writer, Teza took 14 years to make. The writing underwent changes during those years, maturing and blossoming in certain areas. Teza's scheduling, especially its Germany shoot had to undergo radical change due to funding issues which cut the scheduled 3 week shoot to 10 days. There was a 2-year gap between the wrap of shooting in Ethiopia in August 2004 and the beginning of the German shooting in November 2006.

Actor Aaron Arefe (Anberber) burst a blood vessel in his right eye during a particularly stressful scene. The director sent the actors home for rest, the next day Arefayne's eye was completely covered in a film of blood. The production schedule would not permit any more breaks and the director was obliged to continue shooting. There were other challenges, some epic, some humorous. All in all, the director, cast and crew seemed to be able to overcome the many challenges to deliver a film that delivers an important message that audiences from Italy, to Dubai responded to with enthusiasm.

Reception

Teza has been able to achieve an amazing cross over popularity, resulting in its being invited to screen at numerous film festivals. It first saw its popularity surge at the 65th International Venice Film Festival, where the press premiere was marred by problematic subtitles, but its public premiere attended by the producers, director and cast was met with 20 minutes of applause from a packed audience. It was the favored film for the highest award until it was upstaged by Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. Even so, Teza won the Special Jury and Best Screenplay awards. The film was next invited to Toronto, where it was also well received. It was entered in competition at the Carthage International Film Festival in Tunisia where it swept 5 categories, including Tanit D'Or for Best Film, Best Screenplay (Haile Gerima), Best Music (Vijay Ayer and Jorga Mesfin), Best Supporting Male Lead (Abeye Tedla) and Best Cinematography (Mario Masini). Thereafter its showing in the Dubai International Film Festival achieved best score for Jorga Mesfin and Vijay Ayer.

It received a limited release, one writer saying that: "Films that do not have a white point of entry, crossover appeal, or an Africanist presence, or do not reinforce plantation ideology, are censored by limited distribution."[5]

Awards and nominations
  • FESPACO in Burkina Faso:
  • Golden Stallion of Yennenga
  • UN Anti-Poverty Prize to Haile Gerima
  • Zain prize for originality, technical quality and performance.
  • Venice Film Festival  · SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
  • OSELLA Prize · Best Screenplay (Haile Gerima)[6]
  • SIGNIS Award · Special mention to Teza by Haile Gerima
  • Leoncino d'oro Award 2008 (Agiscuola):
  • Cinema for UNICEF commendation · Teza by Haile Gerima
  • CinemAvvenire · Cinema for peace and the richness of diversity Award: Teza by Haile Gerima
  • Carthage Film Festival in Tunisia
  • Golden Tanit- Best Film
  • Best Music
  • Best Cinematography
  • Best Male Supporting role
  • Amiens International Film Festival in France:
  • Golden Unicorn - Best Feature Film
  • Rotterdam International Film Festival
  • Dioraphte Award Hubert Bals film in highest audience regard.
  • Dubai International Film Festival in Dubai
  • Best Music
  • Amazonia Film Festivalin Venezuela
  • Amazonia Award
  • Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece
  • Human Value's Award
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References
  1. Missouri, Montré Aza (July 17, 2015). "Black Magic Woman and Narrative Film: Race, Sex and Afro-Religiosity". Springer – via Google Books.
  2. "The Courier". Commission of the European Communities. April 16, 2009 – via Google Books.
  3. McElroy, Steven (8 March 2009). "ARTS, BRIEFLY: 'Teza' Wins Top Award at African Film Festival". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  4. "The Times BFI London Film Festival".
  5. Ndounou, Monica White (April 29, 2014). "Shaping the Future of African American Film: Color-Coded Economics and the Story Behind the Numbers". Rutgers University Press – via Google Books.
  6. Milkias, Paulos (April 16, 2011). "Ethiopia". ABC-CLIO – via Google Books.
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