OUR VISION
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Advance theatre and performance in Ethiopia, drawing from cultures that are typically underrepresented
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Promote research, theatre, performance and film as a creative and peaceful way for communities to share their stories
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Strengthen collaboration between cultural, academic and government bodies across Ethiopia
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Long term, aim to support self-determination through the arts within other indigenous and minority communities.
THE TEAM
Olisarali Olibui
Oli is an agro-pastoralist from the Salamago woreda, South Omo Zone (SNNPR). He is also a filmmaker, educator, linguist, indigenous scholar and the first member of the Mursi community to film an award-winning documentary, Shooting With Mursi.
Ben Young
Ben produced and co-directed multi award winning Shooting with Mursi. He primarily works in film post production, but has also shot, edited and directed multiple broadcast documentaries about remote and marginalised peoples throughout the world for Nat Geo and Discovery.
Tesfahun Haddis
Tesfahun Haddis is an Ethnographic filmmaker, theatre practitioner and lecturer of Theatre Studies. He studied Masters of Arts in Theater and Development at Addis Ababa University. He has written and directed several plays in Ethiopia and has worked as director and cameraman for four ethnographic films, which are selected and screened in different international film festivals.
Alexandra Genova
Alexandra is a multi-media journalist and filmmaker. She has worked for TIME magazine in New York, and at ITN, ITV and Channel 4 in London and freelance writes for the Guardian, National Geographic, the New York Times and others. She has also directed short films for platforms including TIME.com + DW..
Asteway Mellese
Asteway is an experienced lecturer in Theatre Studies in Ethiopia, with an MA in Theatre and Development. He has worked as an independent journalist, producing and broadcasting biweekly infotainment radio shows in local and national radio stations. Since 2014, Asteway has successfully organised many national and international academic and theatrical events.
Meron Tesfaye
Meron Tesfaye has been a lecturer at Wolkite University for the last 8 years. She is working in the Theatre Arts department with BA degree in Theatre and Masters degree in English Language and Literature. She has done many researches and community services which mainly focuses on language and culture.
Shauna LaTosky
Shauna LaTosky is a socio-cultural anthropologist who has been working with the Mursi intermittently since 2003. She has substantial ethnographic field experience and knowledge of the Mursi people, culture and language. One of her many research interests is on indigenous theatre.
Sharon Huizinga
Sharon has been a lighting designer, programmer and educator for over 20 years. She is currently head of the MFA lighting program at University of Cincinnati's CCM. Until recently she was based in Amsterdam, working for the Dutch National Opera & Ballet and lecturing for the Academy voor Theatre en Dance Amsterdam.