Over the years, Ethiopia has dominated the headlines by winning marathons at the Olympics. But now the African nation is looking to dominate on a new playing field"”film.
Difret recounts the true story of Hirut, a 14-year-old country girl who gets kidnapped into a forced marriage that goes wrong while a progressive female city lawyer becomes driven to save her life.
This is a solidly made film"”from the production to the acting, led by Meron Getnet who gives a strong portrayal as Meaza Ashenafi, the lawyer at the center of this ordeal.
What may be even more fascinating than the story itself is its inside look into Ethiopia's modern socio-political landscape, most specifically: class, gender roles, and cultural traditions.
Despite having a compelling story, the film stumbles in certain areas. A couple of supporting characters who are important down the stretch are clumsily introduced and underdeveloped. Certain scenes go on longer than necessary, slowing the pacing. And most importantly, the film's momentum in high stakes scenes go flat when they should be capitalized naturally.
What may be its greatest strength and (in some views) its greatest weakness is its genre"”a legal drama. It tries to avoid courtroom cliches by rushing to its verdict, but it ends up getting the watered-down effect it tried to avoid.
This is not the first film to come from Ethiopia, and it definitely won't be the last. This will have a grand impact on the advancement of their arts. Especially, with the help of Angelina Jolie (the executive producer), it has a great shot at being the first film from Ethiopia to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at next year's Oscars. Whether that happens or not, it's a great achievement for Africa and a bright cinematic future for Ethiopia.
