In rural Ethiopia, the village of Awra Amba has defied patriarchy, religion, and hierarchy for over 50 years– building a peaceful, gender-equal society from scratch. But as civil war erupts and their founder is forced into exile, the community must fight to protect its fragile vision from collapse.
SYNOPSIS
In 1960 thirteen-year-old Zumra Nuru, born into a conservative Muslim farming family, had the courage to challenge the status quo. Looking at his mother laboring in the field alongside his father all day, he questioned why his father rested at the end of the day, but his mother continued to work into the night. He watched children beaten for being unable to do tasks that were beyond their ability. In 1972 he convinced a handful of people to break from this old oppressive way of life and to join him in creating a new society. Sixty-six people came together to launch what is now the Awra Amba community, settling in a small village in southern Gondar. Today in Awra Amba, there are no assigned gender roles, no child labor, no clergy, and no inheritance laws based on bloodlines. What exists instead is a shared effort to build a society rooted in fairness, cooperation, and mutual care.
The film weaves together daily life, historical memory, and political tension. In 2023 regional conflict broke and several leaders including Zumra were forced into exile. Yet even from afar, they continue to lead, holding Zoom meetings, and launching businesses. Structured around contrast, the film follows the outside world: a country unraveling under pressure but stays close to Awra Amba as it continues building a better society. What can the world learn from an African village that has done with so little what so many have failed to do with so much more?
Director Statement
I am making this film because the story of Awra Amba embodies the very ideals I hold dear: a belief in community-driven progress, critical thinking, and civic imagination. It offers an ongoing work of transformation, not perfection. This project also expands my practice by bringing me back to single-channel, long-form documentary after years of working in experimental formats. It’s a return to narrative structure, guided by character, context, and emotional pacing, yet infused with the visual language I’ve cultivated through art and installation.
ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)
Director Salem Mekuria
Salem Mekuria is an award-winning writer, director, videographer and producer of independent films and video art installations. After teaching as a Professor of Art for twenty-four years she recently retired from Wellesley College. She has received many prestigious fellowships and honors. Her body of work to date includes four documentary films and five video installations dealing with Ethiopian history and contemporary subjects of African American history. Her work has received wide recognition and enthusiastic critical responses. Her films have garnered numerous awards and been shown all over the world, from Japan to India to Africa to Europe and North and South America. Many of these films have long shelf lives and are being used in schools and libraries, across many platforms.
Eritria Pitts is an accomplished Senior Creative Producer and Storytelling Expert with 15+ years experience in multimedia storytelling, video production, and creative direction across digital, video, and live events. Proven ability to craft compelling human-centered narratives and lead end-to-end productions that drive audience engagement and align with organizational objectives. Skilled in client and stakeholder management, with a passion for impactful storytelling. Has served as Senior Producer for FatHappy Media and Regional Producer for the Moth Radio Hour in New Orleans, and is the Creative Project Consultant for the Pitts Productions, LLC.
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Women Make Movies (WMM), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media arts organization registered with the New York Charities Bureau of New York State and accepts charitable donations on behalf of this project. Your donation will be spent by the filmmaker(s) toward the production and completion of this media project. No services or goods are provided by Women Make Movies, the filmmaker(s) or anyone else associated with this project in exchange for your charitable donation.
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