The Ethiopian intellectual Anberber returns to his native country during the repressive totalitarian regime of Haile Mariam Mengistu and the recognition of his own displacement and powerlessness at the dissolution of his people's humanity and social values. After several years spent studying medicine in Germany, he finds the country of his youth replaced by turmoil. His dream of using his craft to improve the health of Ethiopians is squashed by a military junta that uses scientists for its own political ends. Seeking the comfort of his countryside home, Anberber finds no refuge from violence. The solace that the memories of his youth provide is quickly replaced by the competing forces of military and rebelling factions. Anberber needs to decide whether he wants to bear the strain or piece together a life from the fragments that lie around him.
Direction
Gerima's 14-year passion project. Every frame bleeds intention.
Cinematography
Ethiopian landscapes as character—beautiful, violated, unforgettable.
Writing
Dialogue sparse as poetry. Silence carries the weight of decades.
Director
Haile Gerima
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot in Amharic, German and Oromiffa, Teza was the first Ethiopian film to win the top prize at FESPACO, Africa's largest film festival—Gerima self-financed it partly through his L.A. bookstore.
The Derg regime's 'Red Terror' killed an estimated 500,000 Ethiopians; Gerima himself fled during this period, making Anberber's paralysis a deeply personal exorcism.
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