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
Zejtune Żejtune
Alex Camilleri
Saturday, 12. 09. 2026 / 18:20 / Main Hall
When Mar’s estranged mother passes away, she sees her way out of Malta by selling off her inheritance: three pieces of farmland in the countryside. On her journey to claim her land, she meets Nenu, a spirited 80-year-old għana singer whose vibrant folk music pulls her into the colourful traditions of the island she’s been so eager to escape… Directed by the Maltese-American filmmaker Alex Camilleri (Luzzu).
New on the programme
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger
Dylan Southern, Will Lovelace
Saturday, 12. 09. 2026 / 20:40 / Main Hall