Jessica Beshir: Faya Dayi - FESPACO 2021

FESPACO 2021

Feature documentary in competition

Jessica Beshir

Faya Dayi

Ethiopia

120min - Documentary - 2021

Synopsis
Ethiopian legend has it that khat, a stimulant leaf, was found by Sufi Imams in search of eternity. Inspired by this myth, Faya Dayi is a spiritual journey into the highlands of Harar immersed in the rituals of khat, a leaf that Sufi Muslims chewed for religious meditations – and Ethiopia’s most lucrative cash crop today. Through the prism of the khat trade, Faya Dayi weaves a tapestry of intimate stories of people caught between violent government repression, khat-induced fantasies and treacherous journeys beyond their borders, and offers a window into the dreams of the youth who long for a better life. Source: Fespaco.org

D’après la tradition soufie, si l’on mâche le khat, une feuille verte aux vertus stimulantes, on trouve le chemin vers l’éternité. Ce premier film de Jessica Beshir est un voyage dans les montagnes d’Éthiopie où le khat est devenu une culture répandue et lucrative. Entre légende et réalité, Faya Dayi raconte l’histoire d’un peuple qui vit de cette feuille minuscule mais puissante. Source: film-documentaire.fr

Bio
Jessica Beshir is a Mexican-Ethiopian director, producer and cinematographer based in Brooklyn. She made her directorial debut with her short film, HAIRAT, which premiered at Sundance  2017/ Criterion/ Topic/ The Atlantic. She is a recipient of the Sundance documentary fellowship, Jerome Foundation, Doha Film Institute and NYSCA artist fellowships. Her short films including He Who Dances on Wood/PBS and Heroin/Topic, have screened at Festivals and museums around the world including the Rotterdam Film Festival, Hot Docs, IDFA, Tribeca Film Festival, Museum of the Moving Image NY and the Eye Film Museum Amsterdam among others. Faya Dayi is her feature film debut.
Source: https://www.fayadayi.com/info

Mexicaine-Éthiopienne Jessica Beshir est une réalisatrice, productrice et directrice de la photo. Elle a obtenu sa Licence en études cinématographiques et littérature à l'Université UCLA (Californie, USA). Elle a réalisé le court métrage HAIRAT (2017) et le court métrage He Who Dances on Wood (2017). Elle est en train de produire son premier long métrage dont l'action de passe à Harar, en Ethiopie. Jessica vit à Brooklyn, New-York (Etats-Unis).
Source: africine.org/index.php/personne/jessica-beshir/52418