Beza Hailu Lemma’s “Alazar” to premiere at Semaine De la Critique

Beza Hailu Lemma’s “Alazar” to premiere at Semaine De la Critique

We are delighted to announce that one of our Alumni, Ethiopian director Beza Hailu Lemma, will premiere at the prestigious Semaine De la Critique (Critics’ Week) during the Cannes Film Festival 2024. The film is produced by Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media) and co-produced by Paris-based companies Les Cigognes Films, Kidam, and Condor.

Beza-Hailu-Lemma

Beza Hailu Lemma (Ethiopia)

WRITER/DIRECTOR
Beza Hailu Lemma is a writer/director based in Addis Ababa. Passionate about both documentary and fiction, Beza has made several short films since he began his journey, which include Ballad of the Spirits (2016), Katanga Nation (2022) and Alazar (2024). Katanga Nation has screened in over 20 film festivals worldwide, including Visions Du Reel, IDFA and FESPACO, where it won the Silver Foal for best documentary short film. Beza has also attended Berlinale Talents, L’Atelier by the Cannes Film Festival and TIFF Filmmakers Lab.

In contemporary Ethiopia, a farming community's exodus is disrupted when the patriarch of a prominent family disappears from his grave. Tessema, his son, begins to question the church's divine explanation, forcing him to launch his own investigation.