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
Two Prosecutors Dva prokurora
Sergej Loznica
Monday, 04. 05. 2026 / 17:00 / Main Hall
This film by Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa (A Gentle Creature, Donbass) is a Kafkaesque exploration of a totalitarian regime. It is suffused with an overwhelming sense of inevitability and laced with the director’s signature grotesque humour.
The Tale of Silyan Prikaznata za Siljan
Tamara Kotevska
Monday, 04. 05. 2026 / 18:30 / Small Hall
Inspired by ancient myths and folk tales, Tamara Kotevska’s film is a moving documentary fairy tale about a farmer and his unique bond with a white stork.
Silent Friend Silent Friend
Ildikó Enyedi
Monday, 04. 05. 2026 / 19:30 / 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).