ANBESSA

86 minutes
Ethiopia | Italy | USA

A boy caught between the ancient and the new navigates modernization on his own terms. By becoming a lion (anbessa) he can fight back against the forces outside of his control.

Directed by Mo Scarpelli
Producers -
Caitlin Mae Burke, Mo Scarpelli
Exec Producers -
Danielle Perissi, Gelila Bekele
Assoc Producers -
D.D. Wigley, Pierce Varous
Dir of Photography - Mo Scarpelli
Editors - Nico Leunen, Thomas Pooters
Music - Erik K Skodvin

Produced by Rake Films
in association with Moby Group

"A masterful work of sensory ethnography."
— Film Stage

"Visually arresting... incredibly fascinating and absolutely worth watching."
— Film Threat

"Eloquent... a tender portrait"
— Sight & Sound

"ANBESSA does not play tricks... beautiful, humorous and thought-provoking."
— Little Village

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Hope and despair intermingle in a profoundly cinematic mix."
— Hammer To Nail

One of Filmmaker Magazine's Most Anticipated Films of 2019
One of Vox.com's 16 Great Documentaries of 2019

WATCH THE FILM :

CONTRIBUTE TO ASALIF

Asalif, the young protagonist of this film, is a genius.

If you want to contribute to him and his future, you can here:

PAYPAL.ME/ANBESSAFILM

All the money in this PayPal account is sent to Asalif's bank account in Ethiopia.

Thank you.

FESTIVALS, SCREENINGS & AWARDS

69° Berlinale International Film Festival
* Crystal Bear Nominee
* Glashütte Documentary Prize Nominee

IDFA 2019
* Kids & Docs Competition Selection

40° Durban International Film Festival
* Jury Special Mention for Best Documentary

Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival
* Official Selection - World Cinema Showcase

Rooftop Films
* Official Selection

DOC NYC
* Official Selection

22° Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
* Official Selection - Docs for Kids

Human Rights Watch Film Festival London
* Official Selection

MiradasDoc
* El Mirador Award for Best Documentary Feature

21° Olympia Intl Film Festival for Children & Youth
* ECFA Award for Best Documentary

19° Rome Independent Film Festival
* RIFFDoc National Competition Selection

Addis International Film Festival
* Opening Night Film

Sole Luna Doc Fest
* Best Cinematography Prize

MountainFilm Telluride
* Best Director Award
* Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Feature

RiverRun Intl Film Festival
* Special Mention for Best Documentary Feature

Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA) 2019
* Best Cinematography Prize

Fabrique du Cinéma Awards 2020
* Best International Documentary Nominee

Olafur Eliasson Studios
special screening in the artist's studio in Berlin

Copenhagen Architecture Festival
in collaboration with the 2019 C40 World Mayor's Summit

Stockfish Film Festival - Iceland
* Documentary Feature Competition

This Human World Film Festival - Vienna
* Official Selection - Dis:pace:ments

16° Les Mois du Film Documentaire - Paris
* International Documentary Feature Competition

Docudays Ukraine
* International Documentary Feature Competition

Maryland Film Festival
* Official Selection

Busan International Children & Youth Festival
* Embrace the Difference Competition

UNICEF Innocenti Film Festival - Italy
* Opening Night Film

Ljubljana International Film Festival
* International Documentary Feature Competition

Cleveland International Film Festival
* Official Selection
* Nomination for Standing Up Film Award

Heartland Film Festival - USA
* Documentary Feature Competition
* Nomination for Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award
* Nomination for Humor & Humanity Award

Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
* International Documentary Feature Competition

Woods Hole Film Festival - USA
* Runner-Up for Best Documentary Feature

Ethiopia Film Week London
* Opening Night Film

Afrikaldia Film Festival - Basque Country, Spain
Cucalorus Film Festival - USA
London Migration Film Festival
UrbanEye Film Festival - Romania
Mammoth Lakes Film Festival - USA
Festival de Cine de Derechos Humanos Sucre - Bolivia
Berkshire International Film Festival - USA
San Francisco IndieFest
Pripovedovalski Festival - Slovenia
Take One Action Film Festival - Scotland
FlyWay Film Festival - USA
New Hampshire Film Festival - USA
Tumbleweed Film Festival - USA
DC Environmental Film Festival
Ashland Independent Film Festival - USA
Port Townsend Film Festival - USA
Gimli Film Festival - Canada
Moab Film Festival - USA
International Children's Film Festival Bangladesh
DOCUTAH - USA
Northwest Film Forum By Design Festival - Seattle, USA
Arquiteturas Film Festival - Lisbon
Mi Primer Festival - Peru
Bahamas Film Festival
MyArt Film Festival
Under the Stars International Film Festival - Italy
SIMA Cambodia Film Festival
New African Film Festival - USA

additional screenings

Other Cinema series - London
FilmScene - Iowa City, USA
Art of Buna - Cologne, Germany
Doctober at the Pickford Film Centre - Seattle, USA
UCLA Luskin School & African Studies Center
CineCulture at Fresno State University