Home / Arts and Entertainment / Filmmaker Battles Archive for Ethiopian History
Filmmaker Battles Archive for Ethiopian History
2 Aug
Summary
- Haile Gerima's 10-hour documentary explores Italy's colonial legacy in Ethiopia.
- The filmmaker faced significant bureaucratic hurdles to access Italian film archives.
- Gerima champions independent production funded through crowdfunding and personal savings.
Filmmaker Haile Gerima is bringing his extensive 10-hour documentary, "Black Lions - Roman Wolves," to the U.S. for its debut at the BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia. This monumental work delves into Italy's harsh colonial history in Ethiopia, utilizing a blend of archival footage and interviews with eyewitnesses. Gerima, known for his independent production approach, funded the film through crowdfunding and his own resources, a practice he has maintained throughout his career.
The creation of "Black Lions - Roman Wolves" was a protracted process, significantly delayed by Gerima's battle to access Italy's national film archive, Luce. He described the archive's gatekeepers as a significant obstacle, with access being a lengthy and costly endeavor. To address this, Gerima plans a petition during an upcoming six-city screening tour in Italy, advocating for free access to colonial archive footage for future African filmmakers.
Gerima also discussed his forthcoming project on the Maroons of North America, focusing on their struggle against slavery and historical battles. He reflected on his independent ethos, emphasizing that he will not cede control of his work to large platforms, distinguishing his distribution strategy from that of other prominent filmmakers.
The film's premiere follows acclaimed screenings at the Berlin Film Festival, where Gerima received the honorary Berlinale Camera award for his career achievements. "Black Lions - Roman Wolves" is Gerima's first feature since "Teza" in 2008.
