Teza

Teza (2008)

The Ethiopian intellectual Anberber returns to his native country during the repressive totalitarian regime of Haile Mariam Mengistu and the recognition of his own displacement and powerlessness at the dissolution of his people's humanity and social values. After several years spent studying medicine in Germany, he finds the country of his youth replaced by turmoil. His dream of using his craft to improve the health of Ethiopians is squashed by a military junta that uses scientists for its own political ends. Seeking the comfort of his countryside home, Anberber finds no refuge from violence. The solace that the memories of his youth provide is quickly replaced by the competing forces of military and rebelling factions. Anberber needs to decide whether he wants to bear the strain or piece together a life from the fragments that lie around him.

Date of release
2008-09-02
TMDB
7.6 / 10 (26)
Runtime
2h 20m
Genres
Drama
Director
Haile Gerima

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Awards: 1 · Nominations: 0. Including: Grand Jury Prize of the Venice Film Festival

Teza is a 2008 Ethiopian drama film about the Derg period in Ethiopia, directed and written by Haile Gerima. Teza won the top award, the Golden Stallion, at the 2009 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou.

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, benefitting from the Director writers introspection and reflection. 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.

In an especially intense scene, Actors Aaron Arefayne (Anberber) and Abeye Tedla (Tesfaye) confronting a Marxist tribunal, were so deeply immersed in character that Arefayne burst a blood vessel in his right eye causing production to halt. The director sent the actors home to rest, the next day Arefayne's eye was completely covered in a film of blood.

Read on Wikipedia · Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Data from Wikidata.

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