Hairat
Every night for more than 35 years, Yussuf Mume Saleh has gone outside the city walls of Hararāthe centuries-old Ethiopian city and one of the worldās most important Islamic settlementsā to feed his beloved spotted hyenas. Although these animals are by no means harmless, over the years Yussuf has developed such a close bond with them that he can even feed them from his own mouth. His special relationship with the hyenas is not unique in Harar: despite these predatorsā fearsome reputation, the local human population has a longstanding symbiotic relationship with the animals. This enchanting, hypnotic and poetic film connects the beautiful black-and-white shots of Yusuf and his hyenas with a poem by Elias Shagiz Adonay Tesfaye about suffering, loss and love. Hairat is based on the early memories of Mexican-Ethiopian director Jessica Beshir, who grew up in Harar and as a child particularly enjoyed seeing Yussuf feed the hyenas.Ā