What happened to Teboho Edkins' brother Max?

In March 2019, Teboho Edkins' younger brother Max Thabiso Edkins was among the 157 people killed when a Boeing 737 MAX airplane crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

How did the local community in Ethiopia respond to the plane crash?

The villagers living near the crash site welcomed the Edkins family, who were grieving the loss of their son, as "visiting guests" and mourned alongside them, displaying remarkable compassion in the face of the tragedy.

What is the film 'an open field' about?

'an open field' is a 38-minute short documentary film directed by Teboho Edkins and co-produced by his father Don Edkins. The film explores the Edkins family's personal experience of grief and the community's response to the deadly plane crash in Ethiopia.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Filmmaker Confronts Tragedy of Brother's Death in Plane Crash

Filmmaker Confronts Tragedy of Brother's Death in Plane Crash

12 Nov

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Summary

Director Teboho Edkins and his father travel to plane crash site in Ethiopia
Edkins' younger brother Max was among the 157 victims of the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash
Villagers at the crash site welcome the grieving family as "visiting guests"

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.