Comments on: Haile Gerima’s “Teza” Wins African Oscar

By: Berhan Teklu

Berhan Teklu — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:48:24 +0000

I just watched “TEZA” a couple of days ago. Haile Gerima has taken the film industry one level higher than anyone else in my view. This movie is a ground braking experience. I was carried by emotion watching the whole movie which was real, vivid and amazing. Ethiopia is really proud to have such a great son. Gerima has brought a genious to this world.

By: Regis Brown

Regis Brown — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:44:31 +0000

Congratualtions Haile, Selome, and entire crew! Once again Haile has raised the bar and our consciousness. Success is an outward expression of the inner core of our humanity and Haile is one of the greatest and most successful filmammkers of our time. Thank you for your leadership. Peace and Blessings!

By: ermias bahiru

ermias bahiru — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:55:43 +0000

i leave in addis abeba and am learning film.gash haile is my hero and our hero.gash haile God be with u.

By: Girma Asefa

Girma Asefa — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 04:54:21 +0000

I have so many reasons to be proud of Ethiopia and Professor Haile Gerima is one among them. I am following his footsteps to become a visionary filmmaker like him. I hope one day I will talk on public that he is my inspiration. May God bless him and his family! Wishing him long life and the industry! Girma Asefa Aspiring FilmMaker Cameraman and Editor. Maryland

By: Azenech

Azenech — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:13:31 +0000

Very disappointed in this movie as it really did not explain the deep problems that led to the violence in 70s and 80s. Haile pretends that the idealistic generation that tried to address the problems of Ethiopia such as feudalism. religion and ethnicity were just pure ideologues only concerned about marxism=leninism. Why does he not show the problems they were trying to address to better understand them? Why not explain why Dergue and Mengistu came about?

Where is the Wollo drought in the movie? Where is the oppression of non-amharas by Amharas in this story? Where is the Eritrean liberation war in this movie? Why does he not mention the TPLF’s war against Amharas? Why not mention that Mengistu is the son of a slave, and he represented the rejection of Haile Sellassie’s aristocratic rule? Instead of showing the racism in Germany, why does Gerima not show the xenophobia of Ethiopians against Muslims, “gallas” and most of all the people of Gambella?. In fact did not countries like Germany give asylum to ethiopians?

Also, why exactly is a child murderer the heroine of the movie and why should we have sympathy for her?

Not to say the movie did not have positive attributes. Haile did unmask the violent political culture of Ethiopia.

But, all in all, a pretentious movie.

By: Al Simms/ Chicago

Al Simms/ Chicago — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:56:17 +0000

Prof Gerima, Expect nothing less than Excellence always in his body of work.

Always thought provoking, ground breaking, and Cultural Pride.

By: betemariam

betemariam — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:23:49 +0000

Few decades back,in the sweltering California summer,and by sheer coincidence I found myself in the same room where you (Haile Gerima) were also present to take a second look on what would be the best political course for our country ,Ethiopia. You were still a film student at UCLA. As apolitical as I was, I was able to follow your passionate narration of what might be the best course for our country in light of the Emperor’s demise. the reception from the self-styled ‘Marxists’ was cool at best, & downright dismissive at worse. I don’t recall what you exactly said, but for the past 35 years it had been lingering in my subconscious. Recently, I watched one of the interviews you gave about your oddessy as a filmmaker. When asked about your own happiness, you replied it with such thoughtfulness and authenticity I quote “…I had a happy childhood and I live-off the happiness from my childhood (my past).” With one seemingly simple sentence you might have captured the feeling of hundreds and thousands of Ethiopians ( myself included) in the Diaspora. By the time we begrudgingly accepted our new identity as “immigrants” amidst an alienating culture, any possibilty for our ‘happiness’ might have been compromised irretrievably… as you alluded on that interview, just like you, we all have to live-off the happiness we brought to the new land rather than attempt to replace it with something that has no respect for our past.

betemariam .

By: Gemechu Bekele

Gemechu Bekele — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:44:45 +0000

Dr. Haile,

I am really proud of you. Thank you for the attempt you took to make the second Holy Wood in Ethiopia. I hope, with your effort and efforts of other Ethiopians like you, Ethiopian movies will one day reign over the heart of everbody in the world. Tell to other African countries that this is how film is made by Africans. Tell them very well that though we are economically poor we can produce the best movie not less that the best of the holy wood. Thank you for showing us that film making is not just holding camera and running after the one we call actor or actress. Fim making is a wisdom. You are full of wisdom. I thank God for you.

By: Samuel

Samuel — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:14:31 +0000

Prof Gerima is a pride of Africa. This is an extraordinary movie depicting the challenge of Africa. Powerful yet non-judgmental, it shows how, misguided by foreign ideology, we failed Africa, in this case Ethiopia.

This is a ‘must see’ movie for all Africans and particularly Ethiopians. A movie that deserves many ‘Oscars’!

Samuel

By: kirit shah

kirit shah — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:53:34 +0000

Congratulations to Mr. Haile Girma – we are proud of you as ethiopians
you had all the courage to show us how we suffered?

God Bless the entire crew of Teza

By: African World Film Festival Committee, Dayton, Ohio

African World Film Festival Committee, Dayton, Ohio — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:32:50 +0000

Congratulations to one of our most conscientious filmmakers

By: Addis

Addis — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:13:46 +0000

Congratulation Professor Haile!

Here is a video about the award: http://www.ethiotube.net/video/2840/Ethiopian-film-wins-African-Oscar

By: Jannette Dates

Jannette Dates — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:57:53 +0000

The John H. Johnson School of Communications is so very proud of Professor Gerima, who has been on our faculty for nearly 30 years!

By: Ayele Bekerie

Ayele Bekerie — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Haile and his entire Teza’s film crew for winning such a prestigious award. Professor Haile uses film to document and narrate the consequences of violent political power in Post Haile Selassie Ethiopia. I also think that Teza is an attempt to bridge the gap between Ethiopians at home and abroad. It is only when the Diaspora engages the motherland wholehertedly, free of partisanship, that we begin to see the realization of visions and dreams – visions and dreams of just and democratic Ethiopia, rushing to transform immense potentials into alphabets of development and progress. Ayele