Born in Gondar, Ethiopia, in 1946, Haile Gerima went to the United States to study theatre and film at UCLA, where he became a member of the L.A. Rebellion group of Black film-makers. He has since taught at Howard University in Washington. His films are independent, politically conscious and often self-distributed. Bush Mama (1975) shows a woman in Watts, Los Angeles, and Harvest: 3000 Years (1976) is a study of an Ethiopian peasant family. Sankofa (1993), about a model who is taken back to a slave plantation, was released through his own distribution company. Teza (2008) won the Special Jury Prize and best screenplay at Venice.
Filmography
- Bush Mama (1975)
- Harvest: 3000 Years (1976)
- Ashes and Embers (1982)
- Sankofa (1993)
- Adwa: An African Victory (1999)
- Teza (2008)