ZERESENAY BERHANE MEHARI | ETHIOPIA | 2013 | 99' | AMHARIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
"It is inspiring to see such an important story so beautifully illustrated with such creative talent", said Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, who lent her name as an executive producer to Ethiopian director Zeresenay Mehari's feature debut.
For generations, the "telefa" marriage by abduction has been an accepted tradition in rural Ethiopia. However, some women don't put up with it. Mehari tells the story of one of these women.
14-year-old Hirut is on her way home from school when she is kidnapped by seven men. One of them is a suitor whose marriage proposal she rejected earlier. He now attempts to make her his bride in the "traditional" manner. That same night, Hirut is raped, which seems to seal her fate. The following morning, she tries to escape. In the ensuing skirmishing, Hirut ends up shooting and killing her husband-to-be, which has far-reaching consequences, as local law decrees that she be put to death for this. Meaza Ashefani, a female city lawyer, takes up her cause. She manages to place Hirut in temporary safety and embarks on the most important case of her legal career, arguing that Hirut acted in self-defence and should be acquitted. This is not how the local community sees it. Audience Award winner of both the Sundance Film Festival and the 2014 Berlinale.
Distribution: from 1 January 2014, Cinéart.
Screenings:
Venue: Rialto
SAT 23 AUG – 21.00 
SUN 24 AUG – 19.45
Venue: De Balie
SUN 24 AUG – 16.45
Venue: VU Campus
FRI 5 SEPT – 20.15