Anbessa (2019)
- Directed by
- Mo Scarpelli
- Genre
- documentary film
- Country
- Ethiopia, Italy, United States
- Runtime
- 1h 25m
- Rating
- 5.9 of 10 from 8 voters
- Elsewhere
- IMDb
The catalogue in 3D
The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.
How it feels
A ten-year-old boy named Asalif is displaced from his farmland near Addis Ababa when condominiums replace it. He copes by imagining himself as a lion to face the changes around him.
poeticintimateobservationalcontemplativegroundedimaginativegentlemelancholic
What happens
Anbessa, is a 2019 documentary directed by Mo Scarpelli that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. The film tells a coming-of-age narrative around ten-year-old Asalif, displaced from his farmland near Addis Ababa due to condominium construction. As the city evolves, the film captures Asalif's imaginative resistance, where he transforms into a lion ("anbessa" in Amharic) to combat external threats and navigate a changing world. Anbessa explores the clash between tradition and modernity, prompting viewers to reflect on the true costs of progress. The film received critical acclaim, winning awards at various festivals, and serves as a catalyst for discussions on sustainable development, cultural preservation, and the human impact of societal transformations. As Asalif grapples with his lion persona and the realities of change, Anbessa invites audiences to reconsider prevailing narratives surrounding development and emphasizes the importance of preserving cultural identity amidst relentless modernization. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)
More like this
Running Against the Wind (2019)
Live and Become (2005)
Lamb (2015)
The Wild Years (2014)
Shashamane (2016)
Omo Child: The River and the Bush (2015)
The Elephant Queen (2019)
Jeans and Martò (2011)- More like this film, on a shelf you can walk up to.It's the lit case on the top shelf.