Indigenous Oromo Movies during a Time of Political Crisis in Ethiopia

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | Teferi and Steve have coauthored the very first scholarly essay on Oromo film that will be published within a book that will be the first scholarly book ever published on Ethiopian cinema. Their essay emphasizes the importance of an indigenous form of Oromo democracy known as the Gada system for Oromo filmmakers, and also compares movies made both by Oromos inside Ethiopia and Oromos living in the Diaspora who adapt their traditions to the immigrant experience here in America. As part of their presentation, they will show two short films “Qanafaa” and “Gumaa” (each about 8 minutes long) and explain how these artistic fictional films express the Oromo values of Gada democracy.