Ethiopia Teshome Hailemariam

Ethiopian film pioneer who established Africa's first film school in Addis Ababa

Ethiopia Teshome Hailemariam (1930-1997) was a groundbreaking filmmaker and educator who revolutionized African cinema. Born to a royal family during Haile Selassie's reign, he abandoned his privileged life to pursue filmmaking in Europe. After studying at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome, he returned to Ethiopia in 1958 to found the Ethiopian Film Corporation, Africa's first state film institution.

His most influential work was establishing the Addis Ababa Film and TV School in 1965, which trained generations of African filmmakers. The school's philosophy emphasized storytelling rooted in local cultures, producing films like <《The Lion of Judah》> (1968) that challenged colonial narratives. Teshome's 1972 manifesto <《Cinema as National Identity》> argued for film's role in post-colonial nation-building.

Despite political upheavals, he continued producing socially conscious films like <《Oromo's Song》> (1975), documenting marginalized communities. His work inspired the 'New African Cinema' movement, influencing directors like Ousmane Sembène. Teshome's archives are now housed at the African Film Institute in Nairobi.