In recent days, three Ethiopian films were screened in Paris as part of an event ambitiously promoted as the First Ethiopian Film Festival. The screenings took place over three consecutive days at a small independent cinema on Rue Mouffetard, located in one of Paris’s popular tourist districts. The audience consisted predominantly of members of the Ethiopian diaspora, with only a handful of non-Ethiopian attendees. Although modest in scale, the event represented an important step in bringing Ethiopian cinema to a Parisian audience and creating a space for Ethiopian filmmakers and audiences to connect beyond the country’s borders.
Organized by HabeshaView, an Ethiopian streaming platform, the event was supported by the French Embassy in Addis Ababa and other partners. Before the screenings, Tigist Kebede, the founder and owner of HabeshaView, delivered introductory speeches to the audience. With her warm presence and charming personality, she created an inviting atmosphere and emphasized the importance of bringing Ethiopian films to audiences beyond Ethiopia’s borders.
The three selected films—Affini, a film showcasing Sidama’s traditional approach to conflict resolution; Simet, a historical drama set during the significant period of Zemene Mesafint; and Zemetaye, a contemporary romantic drama—were already available on the HabeshaView platform. Rather than functioning as premieres, the screenings offered these productions a new life on the big screen, turning online content into a shared cinematic experience.
The screenings offered an opportunity to see whether Ethiopian films could move beyond the limitations often found in mainstream productions. While bringing these works to the big screen was valuable, many familiar challenges remained, including weak storytelling, uneven acting, limited character development, and technical shortcomings. The emotional impact of the films was often reduced by prolonged close-ups that captured exaggerated, theatrical expressions rather than natural performances. Ethiopian cinema is growing and reaching wider audiences, but stronger scripts, improved production values, and greater attention to filmmaking craft are needed to help it reach its full potential.
One of the films that reflects these challenges is the third selection, Zemetaye (ዝምታዬ) (2023), which was screened on the final day of the festival, Saturday, 25 July 2026. Zemetaye follows Addis (played by Kalkidan Tibebe) and her former lover (played by Solomon Bogale), two young people whose romance is abruptly interrupted when the man is imprisoned. The narrative moves between the couple’s youthful romance and their lives years later, after each has become committed to a different partner. Addis appears to have built a secure and contented life with her husband (played by Theodros Teshome), their two children, and the stability of family life. That sense of certainty is disrupted when she unexpectedly sees her former lover on television, now a respected psychiatrist discussing love and relationships. The chance encounter revives long-suppressed memories and unresolved emotions, leading her to question what she truly wants in life—and ultimately, who she wants to be with.
The film opens with Addis, her husband, and their two children traveling together in a car, joyfully singing the well-known children’s song “Be Ziya Bega.” The warm and familiar melody immediately establishes a sense of family connection, introducing the audience to the closeness and affection that appear to define their relationship. In an effort to portray the father as devoted and caring, the film shows him spending time with the children in the park, pushing them on the swings and sharing playful moments with them. However, the scene’s attempt to create an image of a happy and complete family is weakened by its artificial presentation. The park appears unusually empty, with no other children or families visible; Addis, her husband, and their children are the only people occupying the space.
A similar lack of credibility appears in the hospital scenes, where Addis is admitted after poisoning herself following her former lover’s appearance on television.By coincidence, he turns out to be the doctor treating her at the hospital. However, the hospital setting itself feels unusually empty and unrealistic. The facility appears to have only one nurse present, with no visible presence of other medical staff, patients, or the normal activity expected in such an environment.
The film then moves back in time to reveal the beginning of Addis and her former boyfriend’s relationship. This is the part that shows us the story of how they met and fell in love and faced obstacles to their happiness. The film’s portrayal of romance reflects a familiar pattern often seen in some Ethiopian love stories, where persistence from the man is presented as a sign of devotion even when the woman initially expresses rejection. Here, it portrays how persistent and determined he was in pursuing her, including sending a letter to her home adress, even of that that triggred the anger of her mother and her brothers. In a café, while Addis was sitting with her friends, he approached the group, took out his cellphone, and asked one of her friends to take a photograph of them together. He then leaned toward Addis for the picture, creating a moment that the film presents as a romantic gesture, though it also reflects his persistent attempts to enter her personal space despite her earlier hesitation.The film also shows him watching her from the road outside her window and, in another scene, entering her bedroom through the window without permission. He hides there and waits for her to return home from the salon and finish dinner. When she discovers him, he pressures her to kiss him, threatening that otherwise he will shout and call her parents. Rather than presenting this behavior as a serious violation of her boundaries, the film frames it within the language of seduction and romance. This portrayal raises important concerns about how the film represents persistence, consent, and control in romantic relationships.
The film provides only limited background for these developments, relying largely on the chemistry between the two lead actors to carry the emotional weight of the story. As the narrative unfolds, the audience learns why Addis ended her relationship with her former lover. She explains that she left him for another man because she believed it was the best way to protect him, presenting her decision as an act of sacrifice rather than a choice driven by her own desires. He, however, responds with bitterness, accusing her of being a criminal and rejecting the sacrifice she claims to have made for his sakeThere, the audience learns the extent of the sacrifice Addis made for him. Her lover is arrested after being accused of being responsible for missing money from his company. In an attempt to secure his release, Addis takes money from her own employer and is subsequently arrested. She ultimately serves a five-year prison sentence, giving up years of her freedom in an effort to protect the man she loved.
The story of Zemetaye can ultimately be seen as a portrayal of a toxic romance, where love is repeatedly intertwined with sacrifice, emotional pressure, and unresolved pain.
Following the screening, an engaging discussion took place with Theodros Teshome, one of the film’s lead actors. He spoke about the challenges Ethiopian films face in reaching international markets, particularly Hollywood, arguing that language barriers and racial bias have limited their global visibility. At the same time, he maintained that Ethiopian films are of high quality and are well executed. That claim, however, is open to debate. While structural barriers undoubtedly make it difficult for Ethiopian cinema to gain wider international recognition, many of the films still struggle with weaknesses in scriptwriting, acting, pacing, and technical execution. These are issues that cannot be explained by language or discrimination alone and deserve critical attention if Ethiopian cinema is to compete more successfully on the world stage.
