It is long known that the local Amharic language film industry is struggling. Long gone are the heydays of the sector, now dominated by cinema hall corruption, increasing costs, lack of creativity, imitation of foreign films and a lackadaisical audience. Though there are high quality films released, audiences seem to have been numbed by the sheer number of inferior movies. To bring the sector out of its slumber, industry insiders recommend tapping into Ethiopia’s rich pool of cultural and historical assets, implementing knowledge-based film making, recognizing the broad-based positive impact of cinema, and garnering due attention from government bodies. EBR’s Kiya Ali takes a look.

An Ethiopian-BORN GERMAN Climbing the Ladder of Success

From refugee to multi-disciplinarian, Yared Dibaba went from training with, to being chased by the Dergue regime. From his newfound home in Germany, he went on to master many fields, from media to trade, to give back to the nation that afforded him a second chance. But he reminisces his hardships as a refugee and the extra effort made to succeed in life. He believes that one should respect all human rights and be deeply rooted in culture, heritage, and self-awareness, and that Ethiopians can benefit from these virtues and should learn from one another by engaging diversity. EBR’s Haimanot Ashenafi sat down with Yared to understand his journey and aspirations.

Museums are an important place to learn about the history and culture of any country. But this does not seem to be well-understood in Ethiopia where museums are handled unprofessionally and are exposed to damages. While most museums don’t have enough facilities and are not well-preserved, they are also not visited by many tourists because of their poor records. EBR’s Kiya Ali explores.

Born in Gamo Gofa in the southern part of Ethiopia, Asgegnew Ashko accidentally became a singer while presenting a poem in an event held in Wolaita. Soon after realizing his skills, he was lucky enough to win the hearts of many Ethiopians living in the country and abroad. He has been able to garner more than 12 million views from his eight songs listed on YouTube and present his works in more than 15 countries and three continents. EBR’s Kiya Ali sat down with the 28-year-old singer to learn what makes him unique.

Antique Theatre House, Desperate for Change

Established in 1935, Hager Fikir Theatre is the oldest indigenous theatre in Africa. Known for its immense contribution during the patriotic resistance against the Italian aggression, the Theatre passed through many challenges while producing hundreds of plays largely aimed at uniting the citizens of the country. Being a place where many Ethiopian renowned artists were nurtured, the Theatre contributed greatly in the growth of modern music and drama. In connection with its 84th year anniversary, EBR’s Kiya Ali profiles the Historical Theatre.

Recently, an increasing number of cinemas with modern visual and sound system are opening their doors in Addis Ababa. Since last year, Century, Gast, Birsh and Abyssinia Cinemas have joined the industry to screen Hollywood made views along with local ones. Together with Edna Mall’s Matti Multiplex, which opened 11 years ago, these movie theaters are serving moviegoers with the appetite of watching Hollywood movies upon release. EBR’s Kiya Ali explores.

With the advancement of technologies which pave the way for increasing copyright infringements, the number of album released by singers has been declining for a long time. However, physical copies of music may be starting to see a resurgence as many emerging artists release albums on CDs, despite copyright infringements causing losses. In 2018 alone, more than 20 albums were released, and eight albums hit the shelves so far in 2019. EBR’s Kiya Ali spoke with singers and industry insiders to discover the reasons behind this.

A decade ago, there were almost no Ethiopian sitcoms being broadcast on television or the internet. But for the past two years, the number of sitcoms is growing dramatically.  On top of putting a smile and laughter on the face of viewers, sitcoms serve as a platform to criticize social and political related problems. Yet, behind the laughter and criticism, producers of sitcoms has to stride an arduous journey as EBR’s Kiya Ali found out.

Bringing Begena Back to Life

Begena, a traditional ten stringed instrument mainly used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, has long been a trademark of Ethiopia’s  liturgical music and traditional services. However, over the past few decades, there has been a decline in the number of students learning the art, leading to a decrease in the number of teachers and masters of the instruments. But a few individuals are now trying to bring back the art of Begena, on their own, as EBR’s Menna Asrat found.

The #MeToo campaign has increased the confidence of women, mainly Western women, to report sexual and gender-based violence. A year after the Harvey Weinstein story broke; the conversation has extended well into Hollywood and beyond. Countless other powerful and famous men have been felled by accusations, victims and advocates have bonded together in hopes of evolution and healing, and the entertainment industry has attempted to keep up with seismic change. But in developing countries like Ethiopia, the shame and blame on the victims has largely kept them silent. In fiercely patriarchal societies, where religion and tradition define the role of women, simply reporting abuse against women in the entertainment industry is so difficult that it is not even considered to bring down men of power, as #MeToo has allowed. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports.