SHASHAMANE – On The Trail of The Promised Land | Film
Director, Photography and Sound by: Giulia Amati
Screening: Sunday 27 November 2016 | Labia Cinema, Cape Town | 4pm
SYNOPSIS
The journey to Shashamane in Ethiopia where a community of people of African heritage from the Caribbean, the USA and Great Britain have returned to live on their forefathers’ land, as sung by Bob Marley. It’s an Exodus that for some has become a haven, but for others a cage with no escape. “Shashamane” chronicles a chapter in the lengthy history of the African diaspora through the voices of men and women who have left the West 400 years after the dawn of the African slave trade, to seek their promised land. “Shashamane” is the second film in a land-themed trilogy, following “This Is My Land… Hebron”.
Bob Marley’s 1977 hit Exodus tells about the return of Jah people to Africa. This 80’ documentary records the unique experience of Caribbean and British Rastafari who made the journey to Ethiopia and settled in Shashamane. Shot in London, Kingston and Shashamane, this film explores the legacies of colonial slavery and offers an outstanding testimony of the joy and the pain of returning back to Africa. For the first time, the faces, the voices and the challenging environment of the “returnees” are presented to the world.
Shashamane is the second film of a trilogy on Promised lands by Giulia Amati. After the acclaimed This Is My Land… Hebron, shot in Palestine, she explores the destiny of the men and women in the African Diaspora who chose to claim an African identity.
Editor: Giulia Amati
Sound design:Roberta D’Angelo
Sound editor: Matteo Di Simone
Colorist: Vincenzo Marinese
Music: Piernicola Di Muro
Executive and creative producer: Flavia Lauricella
Archive photography: Derek Bishton
Research: Giulia Bonacci
Production: Blink Blink Prod, RAI cinema
Year:2016
Film run: 52’/80
Festival & Awards:
Biografilm festival, Italia
Salina film festival, Italia
Rototom Sunsplash festival, Spain
Visioni dal mondo, Italia
Film Africa Festival, U.K.
Shashamane – On the Trail of a Promised Land will be screening at the Labia in Cape Town on Sunday, 27 November 2016 at 4pm. Admin: R20. Filmmaker will be in attendance. Click here for Event info and Trailer.