ANBESSA
documentary-hybrid feature
Ethiopia / Italy / USA
World Premiere at the 69th Berlinale
* Generations KPlus Competition
* Glashütte Documentary Prize nominee
...
A boy caught between the ancient and the new navigates modernization on his own terms. By becoming a lion (anbessa) he can fight back against the forces outside of his control.
...
Directed by Mo Scarpelli
Producers - Caitlin Mae Burke, Mo Scarpelli
Exec Producers - Danielle Perissi, Gelila Bekele
Associate Producers - D.D. Wigley, Pierce Varous
Dir of Photography - Mo Scarpelli
Editors - Nico Leunen, Thomas Pooters
Music Composition - Erik K Skodvin
Produced by Rake Films
in Association with Moby Group
additional festivals + awards
Hot Docs 2019
Human Rights Watch Film Festival London 2019
Durban Intl Film Festival 2019
*Special Mention for Best Documentary
Maryland Film Festival 2019
San Francisco DocFest 2019
MountainFilm Telluride 2019
* Best Director
"Scarpelli’s poetic documentary style eloquently captures the creative flair of a young child’s imagination... a tender portrait of a coming-of-age in the midst of an expanding Ethiopia."
— Sight & Sound
INTERNATIONAL SALES
SWEET SPOT DOCS
Anna Berthollet
anna@sweetspotdocs.com
NORTH AMERICA SALES
RAKE FILMS
hello@rakefilms.com
"ANBESSA does not play tricks... the movie is beautiful, humorous and thought provoking. ANBESSA provides a portal into what makes human experiences universal."
— Little Village
[ exclusive clip from the film ]
"A closely observed, fly-on-the-wall documentary with a few surrealistic flourishes...
Scarpelli holds both fear and hope in her hands, refusing to pick a side."
— Goombastomp
REQUEST A SCREENER
ANBESSA is currently screening at festivals, cinemas and community screenings around the world.
Please email hello [at] rakefilms [dot] com for a private screener + to set up a screening.
UPCOMING SCREENINGS
** also follow screenings via our Facebook events here >
22 AUGUST
* EVENT TO BE RESCHEDULED due to weather
Rooftop Films
New York City, USA
19-22 SEPTEMBER
Port Townsend Film Festival
Port Townsend, Washington, USA
25-26 SEPTEMBER
Take One Action Film Festival
Glasgow & Edinburgh, Scotland
28 SEPTEMBER
Art of Buna
Cologne, Germany
8 OCTOBER
Doctober at the Pickford Film Center, Seattle, USA
10-13 OCTOBER
FlyWay Film Festival
Lake Pepin, Wisconsin & Minnesota, USA
11-21 OCTOBER
Heartland Film Festival
Indianapolis, USA
16-20 OCTOBER
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Santa Fe, USA
PREVIOUS SCREENINGS
*69th Berlinale
Generational KPlus Competition
Glashütte Documentary Prize nominee
*Human Rights Watch Film Festival London 2019
*Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival 2019
*Durban International Film Festival 2019
Special Mention for Best Documentary
Olafur Eliasson Studios
Special screening event for the artist's studio in Berlin
Rooftop Films 2019
MountainFilm Telluride 2019
Best Director Award
Mammoth Lakes Film Festival 2019
Berkshire International Film Festival 2019
San Francisco DocFest 2019
Other Cinema series, The Yellow at Wembley Park - London
FilmScene - Iowa City, USA
Woods Hold Film Festival 2019
