Visual Style

In terms of film philosophy, the iconic Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima’s philosophical approach to film has shaped my story. My cultural identity creates in me assertiveness for a justice that is compatible with morality, humanity and a concern for people in need. I’m also interested in contributing an alternative discourse of film—that we all have our own story and our own way of telling a story. We all don’t come out of, as Gerima described, “the Aristotelian paradigm and the Greek and Roman and Spanish aesthetics.” He adds, “We have our own narrative sensibilities, especially those of us who come from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We have our own aesthetics, narrative temperaments that should be appreciated by all human beings.” Even the folkloric aspects of the film Quragnayé come from my ancestors. I share his idea of African storytelling as communal. It’s a communal legacy. And so, the individual story comes out of a collective chorus and from the past. I am the product of the past looking towards the future.

In regard to film content, Ingmar Bergman’s 1918–2007 films, which usually deal with existential questions of mortality, loneliness, and religious faith, have and still influence me a lot. In his film, The Seventh Seal, lead character Antonius Block challenges Death to a chess match believing that he can delay his death as long as the game continues. The dialogue is stunning and used sparingly. I hope to adopt this approach, which avoids developing dialogue to simply have the characters talk to each other. His use of natural sound scores uplifts the mood of the film as in The Serpent’s Egg, which is another aspect of his work that I am eager to use in my story.

As for film structure, Quentin Tarantino’s use of nonlinear narration fascinates me a lot. Rather than telling the story chronologically from the time Gobezé is caught at Gontè’s house, I prefer to show parts of the heated debate in the royal court throughout the film and reveal the story backwards and forwards.