Markers: Films that push the boundaries of the documentary form
A stimulant with major social and religious significance in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, the khat leaf is also Ethiopia's most lucrative cash crop. Though it's been harvested in the country for centuries, its trade has acquired a new economic importance as virtually the only industry creating jobs for the population. Taking us on a contemplative journey into the highlands of Harar in eastern Ethiopia, this dreamy docudrama weaves together lives shaped by khat, especially those of the Oromo farmers, an ethnic group facing persecution from the government. In mesmerizing black and white, Mexican-Ethiopian director Jessica Beshir offers a cross-societal portrait of the country she grew up in through the prism of khat's farming, commerce and consumption. Speaking both to contemporary realities and to Sufi age-old spiritual traditions, she composes an atmospheric reverie that captures the soul of a young generation sustained by khat, but longing for a different future overseas. Charlotte Selb
This event has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.