Ten-year-old Asalif and his mother have been displaced from their farmland on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by the construction of a condominium. To fight back against those casting him out, Asalif taps into a fantasy of becoming his hero: the lion (“anbessa” in Amharic). Asalif uses his imagination to battle forces beyond his control. He must find the strength that resides in him in order to deal with the tides of change that are usurping a community, a country, and his own identity.
Anbessa Anbessa
Through an intimate coming-of-age story, Anbessa captures one boy taking on modernization on his own terms, revealing a unique and magical perspective on the myth of “progress”.
What's On
Silent Friend Silent Friend
Ildikó Enyedi
Sunday, 26. 04. 2026 / 11:00 / Main Hall
A mighty old tree stands in the garden of a German university. Three eras, three human lives, and three clumsy yet sincere attempts at connection: with the world, with nature, and with oneself. A film by Ildikó Enyedi (On Body and Soul).
Mary Anning Mary Anning, chasseuse de fossils
Marcel Barelli
Sunday, 26. 04. 2026 / 11:30 / Small Hall
The animated film depicts palaeontologist Mary Anning at the age of twelve. A curious, brave and unruly girl who breaks the rules and norms of her time at a young age, she later becomes one of the first female scientists.