Teza (film)
Encyclopedia
Teza is a 2008 Ethiopia
n drama film
about the Derg
period in Ethiopia. Teza won the top award at the 2009 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
. The film was directed and written by Haile Gerima
.
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 gangsters 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.
Actor Aaron Arefayne(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.
, 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.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
about the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
period in Ethiopia. Teza won the top award at the 2009 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou is the largest African film festival, held biennially in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The festival is the biggest regular cultural event on the African continent and it mostly focuses on the African film and African filmmakers...
. The film was directed and written by Haile Gerima
Haile Gerima
Haile Gerima is an Ethiopian filmmaker, who resides in the United States. He is a leading member of the L.A. Rebellion film movement, also known as the Los Angeles School of Black Filmmakers. His films have received wide international acclaim. Gerima has also been an influential film professor at...
.
Synopsis
Set in 1970s Ethiopia, Teza (Morning Dew) tells the story of a young Ethiopian as he returns from West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
a postgraduate. Anberber comes back to a country at the height of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and under the Marxist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam
Mengistu Haile Mariam
Mengistu Haile Mariam is a politician who was formerly the most prominent officer of the Derg, the Communist military junta that governed Ethiopia from 1974 to 1987, and the President of the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia from 1987 to 1991...
. Working in a health institution he witnesses a brutal murder and finds himself at odds with the revolutionary gangsters 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
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
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.
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. Tezas 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 Arefayne(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
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, to Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
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 FestivalVenice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
, 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
Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. He attended Harvard University to study film theory and the American Film Institute to study both live-action and animation filmmaking...
'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
Dubai International Film Festival
The Dubai International Film Festival is an international film festival based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world.-Overview:...
achieved best score for Jorga Mesfin and Vijay Ayer.
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 FestivalVenice Film FestivalThe Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE - OSELLA Prize Best Screenplay (Haile Gerima)
- SIGNIS AwardSpecial mention to Teza by Haile Gerima
- Leoncino d'oro Award 2008 (Agiscuola):
- Cinema for UNICEF commendation Teza by Haile Gerima
- CinemAvvenireCinema for peace and the richness of diversity Award: Teza by Haile Gerima
- Carthage International Film Festival in Tunisia
- Golden Tanit- Best Film
- Best Music
- Best Cinematography
- Best Male Supporting role
- Amiens International Film FestivalAmiens International Film FestivalThe Amiens International Film Festival is an annual special-interest film festival focusing on the cinemas of Europe, Africa and Latin America. The festival has been held annually in Amiens, France, since 1980....
in France: - Golden Unicorn - Best Feature Film
- Rotterdam International Film Festival
- Dioraphte Award Hubert Bals film in highest audience regard.
- Dubai International Film FestivalDubai International Film FestivalThe Dubai International Film Festival is an international film festival based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world.-Overview:...
in Dubai - Best Music
- Amazonia Film Festivalin Venezuela
- Amazonia Award
- Thessaloniki Film Festival in GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
- Human Value's Award
External links
- Teza Official Website.
- Official film distributor's website (France) http://www.atlantis-production.com/distribution/tezaTeza