ENCHAINED

Director: Moges Tafesse
In Ethiopia, “kolo temari” (wandering student) Gobeze is caught red handed and in bed with Aleme, the wife of the temperamental landlord Gonite. Neighbours halt the ensuing fight and an elder bind together the two men’s clothes, symbolically chaining them together in the traditional judicial process of “Atse Sirat” and tells them to stand trial in the queen’s court. Meanwhile, with the sudden death of the Emperor Minilik, Queen of Kings, Zewditu Minilik, is crowned queen.

Enchained during their long journey, the two men traverse a number of challenges including keeping each other safe so that the experienced litigator Gonite and the inexperienced student Gobeze can stand trial before the new ruler, Queen Zewditu, and be vindicated.

The film will attempt to illustrate the rift between the old oral all-encompassing system (which includes not just legal process but also social life, culture and politics) and modus operandi of law and the current confusion of law and justice within current generation. The film also endeavours to show how the old generation was enlightened in its own way while the modern generation is only enlightened to western thoughts and undermines its own heritage. Hence, it is also a call to remember and appreciate the past in order to move forward.