An Ethiopian Episode in PAFF; a Movie for Propaganda or Erecting National Problem?

 

A critical Film Review

By Zenebe Tamirat

Title: Triangle- Going to America (Soset Maezen)

Directed by:  Theodros Teshome Kebede,

A Theodros Teshome Kebede Production,

2014 Ethiopia/narrative/ (89 Min) World Premier

On the theater at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza

The 23 Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival

February 2015

Ethiopia is little known for its production of films until recent years in which Ethiopian movies began to come up with astounding stories in the form of Video films. The frequency of such video film productions is also exciting leading Ethiopia, to become perhaps, a center of film production in the Horn of Africa. In this process, we also see young and promising Ethiopian actors of high caliber and  hope for the nation. 

Ethiopia, as a nation undoubtedly contains extensive potential and the abundant amount of resources for writers and film producers on which they can base their stories. Concerning Hollywood type full-screen movies, however, very little progress has been made and requires a lot of efforts to exploit the numerous resources available to the historic nation.  The recent full-fledged screen film “Teza.” by Haile Gerima is one good example that demanded the application of trained actors and sound investments in cash. In many of his presentations, I have heard Haile, complaining about the lack of finance in his film production and I think the shortage of finance attributes a lot to the slow growth of Ethiopian full-screen film production.

The emergence of young producers to this line of artistic work is an encouraging phenomenon. Theodros Teshome Kebede who directed the film “Triangle – Going to America (Sost Maezen) is such one producer-director [I will cut the long title to “Triangle” from now on,] is also encouraging and may contribute the growth of film production in Ethiopia. The purpose of this paper is to review the film “Triangle” stressing on the story and provide my views to readers.

Watching “Triangle” at the 23^rd  “Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) was a pride to all of us who were at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Los Angeles, California. For me it was not only a pride, it was also an exciting experience, as I was wondering what the film was going up to? What was the message? Why was it named “Triangle?” And what were the causes for the absconding of young Ethiopians in the story abandoning their beautiful country? It is, therefore, proper to thank the film producer and director Theodros for his exertion to bring Ethiopia to this prestigious  movie forum that attracts the eyes of the world every year as the festival takes place. Thus, “Triangle” has become one of the 154 films selected to be seen in the PAFF 2015 thanks to Theodros and the excellent young actors and actresses who deserve our appreciation.

The film is all about the story of a group of young Ethiopians who opted to take a dangerous route to seek asylum in the United States rather than suffering in beautiful Ethiopia. But why abandon the beautiful Ethiopia? Triangle says; it was “stupidity,” unnecessary venture taken by the immigrants while life was comfortable at home. It sends a message that some flee their country for a reason of poverty, (the two brothers in the film who regret falling into such a horrible risk to bring out their mother from poverty.) Some for escaping the pressure that is being made on marriage issues (the young girl who opted to abandon her country for the sake of marrying Jemal, a Muslim youth lover) , and some for dissatisfying in living in Ethiopia in general (The Veteran Soldier in the film who lost his wife during the journey).

The route does not show its starting point. It, however, indicates that it was an arduous journey that involves, long distance walking in a hostile desert, confrontation with dishonest guides, dangerous sea voyage and  extended journey in uncomfortable dumping trucks.

One other thing I was wondering about was the word “Triangle”  in the title. You find this at the end of the film to  related to the three sides of continents that the immigrant's route took place. The immigrants start from the continent of Africa and head North-East (Presumably through the Sudan upward to North East Africa crossing the desert by foot and  dump-tuck)  Then they cross the Mediterranean by boat.  Finally flying to Mexico by plane they continue the journey by a wagon and half way by foot to the U.S.A.

The term was again elaborated on the question and answer session. Accordingly,  the title derives from the History of Slavery,  to depict Ethiopians who abandoned their country for a better life abroad have voluntarily chosen modern slavery.

The term “Triangle” is related to the Trans-African Slave Trade of the 16^th Century.  It stretches its baseline from Britain in Europe to the Caribean Island and connecting its  tips of the adjacent lines on the West Coast of Africa. (See the Abolition Project:  abolation.e2bn.org/slavery_43.html).

Theodros is trying to compare the modern immigration to the U.S. to the compulsory slavery of Africans in the 16^th Century. But what he lost in this comparison is the core cause of abandoning the beautiful Ethiopia, which is “political.” In my view, I see the comparison between the two immigrations contrary to  Theodros’s opinion. I see  the former as being compulsory and for enslaving the immigrants and the later as voluntary to escape clampdown at home with a motto of attaining independence in latter days. In fact, I do not consider the former as “immigration” but as “displacement.” 

I see the problem in quiet the contrary. I see the Government as an entity that  failed to establish the necessary democratic system and good governance  required to develop private ownership. I argue the forcible application of Ethnic-based ruling system in which a selected ethnic group, the “Tigre”   ethnic group” is considered as a supreme power is responsible for illegal immigration. Due to the ethnically centered policy of the TPLF, Ethiopians of all other groups are harassed, intimidated, imprisoned and killed in the streets. Citizens remain detained without the due process of law. Citizens of young ages including school boys are shot while going to school or returning from school. There is no political freedom and when demanded the answer is “bullet in the head.” This is the main reason for abandoning beautiful Ethiopia leaving it behind for the Tigraens to enjoy it. The film intentionally ceases to reveal these facts as  primary causes for illegal immigration from Ethiopia. Instead,  to replace the points by other irrelevant reasons it beats around the bush.

In reply to my comment,Theodros says first he is not a politician to comment on my view, and second he says Ethiopians must fight for their rights at home as the Americans are doing.  Here, he forgets the fact that Americans have established a democratic system following the 1776 revolution and need not abandon the well-set American democracy.

My opinion argues that, despite the producer’s claim that the film is non-political, it sides with the current rulers of Ethiopia.  The film advocates life in Ethiopia is beautiful and manageable as if there exists freedom of speech, writing, freedom to own land and other properties and freedom to the pursuit of happiness. It tries to tell us that slavery still exists in the United States whereas the facts on the ground show “Ethiopians are slaves under their own Government forbidden the least need of human rights such as owning their shelters.

Moreover, I argue coming to America, has nothing to do with slavery and should not be compared to the 16^th Century Slave trade as the title of the film indicates. The Ethiopian  Diaspora in the United States shares equal opportunities with those born in America in all spheres of employment, ownership of property and the pursuit of happiness, voting and what not. Today, Ethiopians in the U.S. comprise of Engineers, Doctors, and other profound professionals who contribute to the struggle at home as well as to the economic and social wellbeing of the U.S. The United States is the land of immigrants who abandoned their origin due to various suppression and oppression. The constitution thus compromises the respect of all human rights, and the contents of which are inviolable. The United States today has proved itself a nation that provides all opportunities including the possibility of assuming the highest post in the Governmental administration of the United States of America.   The U.S. is no more a land of  slave drivers. So, that title, of the film, “Triangle” is incorrect and improper.

Ethiopians at home suffer from employment just because they are not-Tigreans. Despite the fact, that the Tigreans in Ethiopia are minority, statistics show that they are more employed than the majority Oromo and Amhara ethnic members. I do not think this  surprises any one, because the Tigrean Party controls the economy with its numerous trade, and industrial companies that feed it with billions of dollars. These companies offer  employment opportunity primarily toTigreans. What alternative  then has the rest of the youth to sustain its life with the gun pointed at its forehead, and the door to employment  slammed it? It is true that the youth has to fight for its rights inside Ethiopia, but the struggle should also continue outside of Ethiopia too.  The fight at home needs the support from the Diaspora in the form of knowledge, experience, finance and foreign relations. Therefore Tweodros’s thought of stay and die in Ethiopia as the three hundred Spartans died in Sparta is a time passed and harmful thought. And yet, the struggle continues at home.

The struggle is not as easy as Tewodros thinks. The TPLF is as lethal as it can be.The United States and many other World power states like Britain, China,  German, France, Turkey etc are supporting the dictatorial Government allocating billions of dollars in support of its annual budget, a large sum of which goes to suppressing democratic movements of the people.

For example, recently the ruling Tigrean Party TPLF disbanded leaders of  a major party “Andante” that comprises, a vast majority of the Oromo and Amhara Ethnic group members and replaced it with its satellite individuals.  This party was an example of a youth group fighting to establish a democratic Ethiopia from the inside. The need to change such kind of dictatorship requires integrating the struggle harmoniously from inside and outside of Ethiopia. The Diaspora is not only biting hamburgers as Tewodros thinks but much more than that. The Diaspora, other than winning the hard life in exile it actively works to bring about changes in the lives of Ethiopians at home. The three billion dollar transfer per annum from the pocket of the Diaspora is a living witness for what I am saying here. By the way, Tewodros,  hamburger is not  luxury food in the U.S but the least alternative for a poor persons to eat.

In the Question and Answer briefings, a brilliant question that says “How many of the people want to abandon Ethiopia as the film depicts” was raised by one of the spectators. The reply by Theodros was awful. He says 40% of the population of Ethiopia, 36 million, people want to abandon Ethiopia. Such a statement is extremely exaggerated and misinforming the American public with wrong data. My view on this issue I stated at the spot was that there are no so many people in Ethiopia  that match the said figure who know the existence of the United States. A large number of persons in Ethiopia live in the countryside without formal education. The number of people that went to elementary school does not exceed 15%. I do not know the exact figure of how many people may wish to come to the United States.   I can,  however, guess that does not exceed 1% of the 15%  making up round about 135,000. I do not think that this is a big number compared to those who want to come to the U.S. from other countries of the world.

The Amharic literature in the film is satisfactorily right. It seems well written and in some parts the expressions touch the hearts of their audiences. The film illustrates the characters of Ethiopian folks vividly. Honesty, loyalty, and bravery are some of the characteristics well reflected in the movie. I do not know how much it is true, but loyalty is less reflected in the case of the Eritreans character. By a part in which Eritreans abandon a  malaria attacked female friend of them, the producer tries to illustrate the betrayal characteristics of Eritreans. On the contrary by a part in which the Ethiopians help this same girl, the film boosts the kindness of Ethiopians even to the turncoat Eritreans. This could be a response to the separation of Eritrea from Ethiopia.

The producer seems also to try to show that there is no hard feeling between ordinary Ethiopians and Eritreans because of the political separation.

What is weird in the making of this film is the roundabout route to the United States. The regular immigration route is crossing the Sudan border and stay in refugee camps thereby wait until the UN  arranges refugee status   acceptance in the U.S. or Europe. The way to Europe, Italy and having visa from Italy and a flight to Mexico as illustrated in the film is   weird.  What surprises me most in the movie was the illegal crossing of the U.S border in collaboration with Mexican Mafia Group. One wonders what was the use of the Italian visa issued to the immigrants.

Lastly, the confrontation with the Mafia was interesting. It depicts the real Ethiopian character of bravery. “Leave you alone, even the Italians could not frighten me,” murmurs one of the Ethiopians. He  grippes the neck of the chief of the Mafia with his left hand,   pointing a gun at his victim’s head with the contrary.

The final blast, however, begs the question, “What was the LAPD doing when a war was going on in its territory.  All in all, in my view, the result of the film is  mixed with good and bad. The actors and actresses are astounding and as excellent as they always were in their video movies. The literature in the film is good enough. The production is competitive. Unfortunately, the film fails to depict the fact why Ethiopians take such a risky venture seeking for asylum abroad in spite of the fact they own a beautiful and resourceful country. Missing this important point that critically reveals the objective reality of Ethiopia reduces the  film to a status of an instrument of propaganda rather than a tool for rectifying the social, economic and political problem of the nation.

The writer, Zenebe Tamirat is available at ztamira@yahoo.com