Filmmaker Confronts Tragedy of Brother's Death in Plane Crash

In November 2025, a short film titled 'an open field' is set to premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). The 38-minute film, directed by Teboho Edkins and co-produced by his father Don Edkins, explores the personal tragedy of the Edkins family following a deadly plane crash in Ethiopia in March 2019.

The crash, which occurred just six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, claimed the lives of all 157 people on board, including Teboho's younger brother, Max Thabiso Edkins. Grief-stricken, the Edkins family decided to travel to the crash site, where they discovered a community that had embraced the victims as their own. The villagers welcomed the Edkins family with open arms, treating the crash victims as "visiting guests" and mourning alongside them.

The film explores the stark contrast between the community's compassion and the actions of the airplane manufacturer, Boeing, which was widely criticized for its use of a flawed flight-control system and failure to fully inform pilots about it. As the Edkins family grappled with their loss, they found solace in the humanity and empathy displayed by the local villagers, who had been profoundly affected by the tragedy.

Through the lens of the Edkins' personal experience, 'an open field' sheds light on the broader issues of corporate responsibility, human rights, and the power of community in the face of unimaginable grief.