Katanga Nation

We see a woman in the foreground sweeping her shanty home, against the backdrop of a modern complex under construction. The contrasts are sharp in the opening scenes of Katanga Nation, a short film shot in the margins of this society. Filmmakers Hiwot Admasu Getaneh and Beza Hailu Lemma follow two local residents of the Katanga district of Addis Ababa who are making the most of what little they’ve got.

The woman in the opening shot, Amele, is the kind-hearted owner of a makeshift hostel. Many of her guests are having a hard time, and can barely afford a night’s stay. The same goes for Enkehone, a street vendor who finds it difficult to earn a decent wage. Things certainly don’t get any easier for him when the police impound his entire stock.

Here in Katanga, among the skyscrapers of the Ethiopian capital, a better life seems so close. Sometimes it’s hard to bear, but this place is also brimming with resilience and neighborly love—and that’s what this directorial duo immerses you in.