ADDIS ABEBA UNIVERSITY

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF
ETHIOPIAN FILM HISTORY
From Early Cinema to the Cotemporary
KINDENEH TAMENE
6/6/2014

Ethiopia is the only African nation with its own script and a history of ancient literary heritage, making it
the countries of the ancient civilized world.
Table of Contents

Table of Contents ................................................................................................. I

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................... II

Executive Summary ............................................................................................ III

1. A Brief History of Ethiopian Film History .....................................................1

1.1 Introduction...................................................................................................1

1.2 Early Cinema Development from Minilik II- Haileselassie I ........................5

1.3 Socialist Derg and Ethiopian Cinema .............................................................9

1.4 Film Industry in the Cotemporary Ethiopia ................................................. 12

2. Conclusion and Recommendation ................................................................ 14

A list of Acronyms and Abbreviations

EFC: Ethiopian Film Corporation

EFPA: Ethiopian Film Production Association

EPRDF: Ethiopia people Revolutionary Democratic Front

UNESCO: United Nations Educational scientific and Cultural Organization

SIDA: Swedish International Development Corporation Agency

Executive Summary

Ethiopia is the only African nation with its own script and a history of ancient
literary heritage, making it the countries of the ancient civilized world. With regard
to film Cinema was introduced to Ethiopia only three years after the world's first
film ever was projected in Paris in December 28, 1895 by the Louis Lumiere
brothers. In terms of film production there were, off course Ethiopians who made
some documentary and few feature films. Foreigners also produce few feature
films. However due to the huge investment film making required ,and socio-
political instability of the country for long period of time film production is still in
its infant stage. After a long absence in the past ten years the art of making movies
with better qualities and concepts in Ethiopia is growing much more than any other
time in the past following the country’s recent economic growth .
1. A Brief Review of Ethiopian Film History
1.1 Introduction

Ethiopia has been labeled possessing a long history of three thousand years and
more. At various times, its governors and rulers had played their roles in shaping
the geographical, cultural, historical, religious etc. -all aspects of the country. As a
result most of the status quo today is, to a great extent, the legacy of our past
history. That is why the growth and development of film production and practice
go back and forth for the past hundred years. As a matter of fact the film art and
technology had been introduced to Ethiopian almost as equal as to Europeans, but
still the industry is in its infant stage.

1.2 Early Cinema Development from Minilik II- Haileselassie I

Emperor Minilik II of Ethiopia

Cinema was introduced to Ethiopia only three years after the world's first film ever
was projected in Paris in December 28, 1895 by the Louis Lumiere brothers.
Following this big historical moment the first film screening in Ethiopia occurred
during Emperor Minilik II reign at the palace. , Dr. Berhanuo Abebe(2003) In an
article appeared in 'Annales d'Ethiopie ', a French journal on Ethiopia, he wrote
that in 1898, a Frenchman from Algeria brought one of the first
cinematic artifacts to Ethiopia, and sold it to the Italian minister Ciccodicola, who
presented it to Emperor Menilek of Ethiopia as a gift. (Arefayine 2006)

By looking back to the historical happenings at the time of Minilik one can come
up with a wild guess, like other imported technologies of the time the clergy had
heard about the inventions of film technologies and had a lot of interest to get the
Cinematograph. According to the two most prominent Historians Dr. Berhanuo
and R.Pankerest books before the first public film screening occurred in (1909-
1910) the majesty watched several films in his palace almost for more than a
decade.

Some of the scholarly written works mentioned the year the public introduced to
film is 1923 which means after 26 years of the first cinematograph arrived in the
country. Rather 1923 is the possible year the first cinema house owned and built by
Ethiopians. Dr. Berhanou, further elaborate this point, there was a film house
called 'Pate' owned by MM. Baicovich from 1909 -1910. People were stunned by
this magical invention for the first months but soon they turned
in different. A French historian, Merab, in his 'Impressions d'Ethiopie
(1922),quoted by Dr. Berhanou, said, 'people apparently didn't like
to entertain themselves.’ Also Dr. Richard Pankhurst (1968), a distinguished
historian with several publications and books to his credit, in his
widely-acclaimed book 'Economic History of Ethiopia' further strengthen the
above point, about another attempt made in 1909-10 by some Armenians, but the
project attracted only temporary interest, and was soon abandoned. (Arefayine
2006)

The clergy, who were very powerful and influential, intensely opposed to this new
medium. By the people who are resistant to modern technology associated cinema
to the devil’s work. This is attested by the naming of the first cinema Yeseyetan
Bet (The Devil’s house).Which was opened in the year 1923.According to,
Encyclopedia Aethiopica,Vol. I (2003), in the early days cinema, cinema houses
were called 'Ye Seytan Bet', (House of Satan), a definition which well suited the
technological “devilry ˮ of cinematographically combined images and movement.

The introduction of this magical medium to Ethiopia was quite different in its
historical and political context when it compared to the rest of Africans. Film
brought to most of African countries following the foot stapes of their colonizers.
According to Chris Prouty, Ethiopia and Eritrea are one of the more documented
countries in the African continent. The first Ethiopian movie au de Menilek was
made in 1909 by a French man, Charles Martel. The history of cinema quiet
different from the rest of Africa in many aspects most of African countries
literature, theater and cinema is a colonial history which was introduced through
colonial imposition, Ethiopia was introduced to cinema through the natural course
as other agencies of modernization-railway, postal, modern education, telephone,
etc were popularized in the country. Emperor Minilik II is credited to the
introduction of cinema to Ethiopia. (Abebe 2009)

Apart from introduction of film technology and screening, Arefayine, in his article
points out the most important progressive phase in the history of Ethiopian film.
The first film known to be produced in Ethiopia was a short 16mm black-and-
white film, produced by a certain Tedla on the occasion of Empress Zewditu's
coronation day in 1917. Similarly Chris Prouty mentioned the first Ethiopian
movie au de Menilek was made in 1909 by a French man, Charles Martel. Which is
a few year earlier than Arefayine, therefore by taking these two references in to
consideration it is possible to conclude that film production in Ethiopia was began
at a maximum of 10 years after film medium introduced to the country.

In November of 1928, Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia crowned Taffari Makonnen as

King and Heir to the Throne of Ethiopia. The Production of film in Ethiopia
continued during the Reign of Hailesselassie I with a film in his coronation.

Emperor Haile Selasse I and Empress Menen with their children at the time of their coronation.
November, 2nd 1930.

Following this historical moment, documentary films on different issues featuring

historical sites, developmental activities were produced. During Italian occupation
in the years between 1936 and 1941 the Italians exploited the power of film
medium in the glorification and promotion of their culture and politics. They built
movie houses in Addis Ababa, Dessie, Dire Dewa and Jimma.

1.3 Socialist Derg and Ethiopian Cinema

After Hailesselassie I following the popular revolutionary outburst of February

1974 against the archaic and oppressive feudal monarchy the military dictatorship
Derg tried to nationalize or the existing commerical cinema's in to People's Cinema
with extreme censorship in place. Ek (2009) briefly explains a first stapes in
formulating the Ethiopian film industry was taken over thirty years ago when the
country provided the set for the filming of shaft in Africa in (1973) and the local
production Gouma in (1975) by Michel Papatakis.
Photos of Michel Papatakis

Until 1974, there were many cinema halls in the country and American and Indian
movies have been popular. During the Derg era it is worth to mention that with
the nationalization of the Cinema houses, there was a small period that only
Russian films having a communist message were allowed to be screened. In that
period due to the nationalization of all cinema houses the number of cinema
houses, instead of showing progress has gradually decreased.
This period in terms of quality and content of production a number of films were
produced including a film entitled “Harvest Three Thousand Yearsˮ which
features the bitterness of the life of the peasantry under the feudal system was
produced by a renowned film director Haile Gerima in 1976. Since then he
directed several other films. He is Ethiopia's most proficient director and exporter,
who have made seven films including Sankofa (1993) and Imperfect Journey
(1994).There were also films produced by Ethiopians such as Guma (Vandeta),
and Hirut. Following this the film production section established under the
ministry of culture and sports affairs, produced another film entitled “3002ˮ
Haile Gerima Pr.UCLA

According to a survey study of culture and Media in Ethiopia (February, 2003) the
Ethiopian film industry that focused on production of documentary films continued
with the establishment of Ethiopian film center in 1978.The center then replaced
by the Ethiopian film corporation(EFC), which was established by Proclamation
No.306/1986(7). Derg established Film Corporation for the purpose of one for
news and socialist propaganda; and the other for art productions. These institutions
were able to produced 27 documentaries all together. Apart from these
documentaries two feature films entitled Behiwot Zuria and Aster were produced.

In the period of the HaileSelassie and Mengistu a number of films produced by

Ethiopian filmmakers projected as nostalgia along the lines of social changes.
According to Pfaff (2004) the thread that runs through Haile Gerima's Harvest:
3000 Years (1976) and Imperfect Journey (1994), Salem Mekuria's Deluge (1995),
and Yemane Demissie's Tumult (1996) is a project to revision the foundational
narrative of a 3000 year Solomonic Ethiopia in light of the experience with
feudalism and a failed revolution and their legacies. "Harvest: 3000 Years" casts a
critical glance at the ways the feudal state under Haile Selassie, especially,
manipulated legend and myth to perpetuate allegiance to a glorious past that was
able to keep the vast majority of Ethiopian peasantry under feudal control.

Made at a moment of transition between the end of the feudal regime and dawn of
the revolutionary regime of Mengistu, Harvest contests and subverts the reigning
feudal narratives and also anticipates the still unfinished struggle against the post-
feudal era. Tumult, for its part, revisits the 1960s failed attempts by students, in
alliance with segments of the military, to topple Haile Selassie's regime. The film
eloquently provides a solid foundation for better understanding of the continuing
struggles in contemporary Ethiopia. This is also what Salem Mekuria accomplishes
in Deluge, which revisits, from a more personal point of view, a more recent
moment in 1970s and 1980s Ethiopia under the reign of Mengistu Haile Mariam.

Mekuria's second major work, Yewonz Maibel (Deluge, 1995), is a moving

personal journey back to the post-Haile Selassie Ethiopia and the 1978-79 bloody
moment of the Red Terror campaign of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam of
Ethiopia against his opposition.

1.4 Film Industry in the Cotemporary Ethiopia

After the fall of the military government by the democracy fighters Ethiopian
People’s Republic Democratic Front (EPRDF) in 1991, there is almost no film
production was takes place for a decade. Consequently in January 1999 the
government totally dissolute the former more fruitful Ethiopian film corporation by
proclamation No.151/1999.After the dissolution of Ethiopian Film Corporation
some of the members of EFC subsequently formed the Ethiopian film Association
which is currently named Ethiopian Film Production Association (AFPA).

This period due to the advent of video technology the video films became popular
in the world and some of the African countries like the Nigerians Nolly wood
boost and flood the film word in a massive number of video productions. In
contrary Ethiopian film industry is struggling with the past and the present socio-
political hangover. Though, the numbers of produced films are too small from the
view point of the huge socio-cultural heritage of the country. There is actually a
dramatic development in the film production sector of Ethiopia in the last three
decades. (Masersha 2009)

According to Masresha the film sector in Ethiopia has gained momentum in 1985
when films began to be produced in Amharic language and simultaneously
accessed to the audience via CDs.
2. Conclusion and Recommendations

Ethiopian film industry has experienced a robust growth over the past couple of
decades. But still the industry faces various kinds of challenges. It consists of many
small producers working with a tiny amount of capital; it therefore has not been
able to build its own spaces-studios, theaters, office complexes and remain nearly
invisible in the Addis Ababa city space, apart from film posters and the films
themselves displayed for sale as cassettes or video compact discs.

The current growth and development of the industry is shapeless, it is not

institutionalized, and it is full of untrained individuals who thought that film
making is a profitable business area and a people who have a passion and interest.
In addition to this there are no educational institutions who train qualified film
makers. Apart from this there are so many studies on different areas of film
practices in the west, Australia, China, India, Japan and few African countries like
South Africa and Nigeria. Generally, there is the significant absence of research on
third world films specially those of Ethiopia.

In order to accelerate the growth of film industry which is the most beneficiary
sector to the countries economical and cultural development specially the
government must take an immediate action in the following three critical problems.
 Professional associations should be organized and be free to work
without any political, social and economic influences, so that they
can serve to create favorable conditions for to be rightful
beneficiaries of their creative works.
 Due to drastic development of ICT and cyber technology the
nature and scope of plagiarism and violation of copy right law
 became a major problem even in the most developed countries.
Therefore The country in order to be beneficiary; and to exploit
every possible opportunity from this sector to the countries future
economical and cultural development, to take one step ahead the
growth and development of the film industry the government has
to take a major action and to be put in to effect the copy right law.
 The last but not the list recommendation is both the government
and the private business sectors should work aggressively to
reduce the dominant academic and technical knowledge and skill
gap problem of the industry .Most of the current Ethiopian film
industry problems are a collective problems over come by the
absence educational institutions. Therefore the government must
look back to the educational policy and curriculum and take
possible actions in order to encourage the private business sector
to be active participant in the sector.
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