Movies: Jessica Beshir

A spiritual journey into the highlands of Harar, immersed in the rituals of khat, a leaf Sufi Muslims chewed for centuries for religious meditations – and Ethiopia’s most lucrative cash crop today. A tapestry of intimate stories offers a window into ...

Conrad is a gay man living in NYC. He's also CEO of an ad agency and by nature a control freak. Although Conrad is still in love with Martin (his ex), he hires a young Aussie hustler named Tyler, first for a night and then to work for his company. Th...

Robert is a writer who hasn't done much writing lately; instead, he's busy pushing the envelope with his toxic mix of boredom, drugs and a dalliance with a married woman, Elizabeth. In spite of Elizabeth's marital status, Robert falls for her complet...

For over 35 years Yussuf Mume Saleh journeys at night to the outskirts of the walled city of Harar to bond with his beloved hyenas....

When his girlfriend is kidnapped, a drug-addicted ex-cop must overcome his demons and face the sobering task of tracking her down before it's too late. His story dismissed by the police, he's left with no choice but to rely on his own detective skill...

A short film documenting Ethiopian musician Hailu Mergia's life as the leader of the Walias Band in the 1970, his immigration to the United States and his subsequent re-emergence as a performer in 2014....

A film about the work of painter Victor Rodriguez, whose sole subject is his ex-wife....

A man who grew up without a father finds fulfillment in mentoring another....

Zemene is a shy 10-year-old living in rural Ethiopia with a rare, life-threatening, curvature of the spine that limits her world, when a chance encounter with an American doctor enables her to secure medical attention. With her physical limitations l...

A hip urban reggae film about music, passion, love and devotion! Tsegaye is a driven mucician who leaves his wife and children in California, to search for a long lost childhood friend, Kirubel. When he finds him, the two, along with Kirubel's drumme...

Three vignettes, "The Domino Players", "The Secret Miracle" and "point of View," are linked by telephone conversations being surreptitiously listened to by Marcos, the main character. Navigating the fine line between comedy and tragedy, "107 Street" ...

One man's search for joy has culminated in a constant experience of rhythm in the world around him....

25 composers, 25 filmmakers, 25 ultimate symbioses of music and cinematography that fit completely within the DNA of Film Fest Gent and the World Soundtrack Awards. For the unique 2x25 project, the festival asked 25 composers to compose a short piece...

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Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy loses mind....