Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Imperfect Journey, Imperfect Cinema “A fast, ‘zinging’ shot scares the baboon!”

2017; Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa; Volume: 42; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

2521-9863

Tekletsadik Belachew,

Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies

This article focusses on key themes in Haile Gerima’s Imperfect Journey, which, despite being one of the most important African documentaries, is often neglected by film critics and historians.1 Abba Gerima, the traditional playwright, dramatist, historian, and epic-poet, is discussed through selectively translated passages from two historical masterpieces that he originally wrote in Amharic and English translations. Abba Gerima’s and Haile Gerima’s historical and artistic texts are critically examined across history, aesthetics and the three mega themes of Imperfect Journey in order to understand how Abba Gerima’s vision is carried forward in the cinematic works of Haile Gerima. Cet article porte sur les themes cles du Voyage imparfait de Haile Gerima, qui, bien qu’etant l’un des plus importants documentaires africains, est souvent neglige par les critiques de cinema et les historiens. Abba Gerima, le dramaturge traditionnel, historien et poete epique, est decrit a travers des passages, traduits de maniere selective, de deux chefs-d’œuvre historiques initialement ecrits en amharique et traduits en anglais. Les textes historiques et artistiques d’Abba Gerima et de Haile Gerima seront examines de maniere critique a travers l’histoire, l’esthetique et les trois mega themes du Voyage imparfait pour comprendre comment la vision d’Abba Gerima est refletee dans les œuvres cinematographiques de Haile Gerima.