habeshaview TV Presents Enchained Film Screening

habeshaview TV Presents Enchained Film Screening

Director. Moges Tafesse

Ethiopia. 2019 | 90 min | Amharic with English subtitles | 12+ 

In Ethiopia, “kolo temari” (wandering student) Gobeze is caught red-handed and in bed with Aleme, the wife of the temperamental landlord Gonite. 

Neighbours halt the ensuing fight and an elder binds together the two men’s clothes, symbolically chaining them together in the traditional judicial process of "Atse Sirat", and tells them to stand trial in the queen’s court. Meanwhile, with the sudden death of the Emperor Minilik, Queen of Kings, Zewditu Minilik, is crowned queen.

"Enchained" (Quragnaye) during their long journey, the two men traverse a number of challenges including keeping each other safe so that the experienced litigator Gonite and the inexperienced student Gobeze can stand trial before the new ruler, Queen Zewditu, and be vindicated.

The film will attempt to illustrate the rift between the old oral all-encompassing system (which includes not just legal process but also social life, culture and politics) and modus operandi of law and the current confusion of law and justice within the current generation. The film also endeavours to show how the old generation was enlightened in its own way while the modern generation is only enlightened to western thoughts and undermines its own heritage. Hence, it is also a call to remember and appreciate the past in order to move forward.

Winner of Alem Cinema's Best Film Category Award 2019 

The premiere screening will be followed by a Q&A with film director Moges Tafesse and leading actor Zerihun Mulatu.

habeshaview’s curated quarterly Ethiopian Film Premier programme aims to drive the development of Ethiopian debut feature films and showcase the talents of the next generation of filmmakers to a global audience. 

Enchained is also being screened on Wednesday, 23rd October 2019 with the International Premiere on Saturday, 19th October 2019.