20th Ethiopian International Film Festival concludes in Addis Ababa

The 20th Ethiopian International Film Festival (EARTHOPIAN) wrapped up in Addis Ababa after a week of screenings, discussions and professional exchange. Organised in partnership with the Addis Ababa City Administration, the festival brought together filmmakers, industry experts, and audiences from Ethiopia and around the world. TV BRICS served as the international media partner of the event.

This year’s edition was held under the evocative theme "Nile: The Origin of Stories", highlighting the cultural and historical symbolism of the river as a source of creativity and collective memory.

Over the course of the week, around 60 films – including feature films, shorts and documentaries – were screened, with works coming from Ethiopia and across the globe. Thousands of viewers attended the programme, which also featured conversations with filmmakers, workshops and seminars on contemporary film theory and practice.

The festival concluded with an awards ceremony recognising excellence in Ethiopian filmmaking across ten categories, celebrating both emerging and established talent.

The festival’s awards recognised outstanding Ethiopian filmmaking, with Fikadu Cherinet winning Best Feature Film (Black Lion Award) for “Kenja”, while Sami Bayush received Best Director (Saba Eyes) for “Gemehalia”. Ayeligne Tsega won Best Writer/Screenplay (Geezopics Award) for “Kenja”, and Surafel Mezigebe earned Best Cinematography (Rainbow/Kestedemena), also for “Kenja”.

The Ethiopian International Film Festival continues to serve as one of the country’s key cultural platforms. Established in 2000, the organisation promotes media production, festival management and cultural exchange. Each year, the festival showcases around 100 films of diverse genres, awarding the best Ethiopian productions in ten competitive categories.

The 20th edition once again demonstrated the festival’s commitment to celebrating cinematic achievement and fostering creative dialogue within Ethiopia’s dynamic film industry.

Photo: Press Service of the 20th Ethiopian International Film Festival