Ferenj (2020)
“Ferenj” is an afrosurreal dreamscape crafted from the director’s reconstructed memories questioning the meaning of home and identity as a mixed-race, Ethiopian-American growing up amidst cultural dissonance. The viewer is guided through fragments of Empress Taytu (her parents’ Ethiopian restaurant in Cleveland, OH) to the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by a speculative one-way conversation between the narrator and Empress Taytu – the restaurant personified as the historic empress. “Ferenj” harnesses photogrammetry as a tool to reclaim the 3D scanned spaces and redefine Robson’s relationship to them on her own terms.
Director: Ainslee Alem Robson
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Ainslee Alem Robson as Narrator |
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Melkamayehu Belachew as |
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Tewabech Belachew as |
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Betelhem Shiferaw as |
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Senait Robson as |
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Carl A. Robson as |
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Laure Michelon as |
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Kate Stuteville as |
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Spencer Daly as |
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Cole Daly as |
| Directing | Ainslee Alem Robson | Director |
| Writing | Ainslee Alem Robson | Writer |
| Production | Ainslee Alem Robson | Producer |
| Production | Liam Young | Producer |
| Art | Ainslee Alem Robson | Graphic Designer |
| Sound | Ainslee Alem Robson | Sound Designer |
| Crew | Tobias Heinemann | Technical Advisor |
| Crew | Memo Akten | Technical Advisor |
| Crew | Kidus Hailesilassie | Technical Advisor |
| Crew | Shuruq Tramontini | Technical Advisor |
| Writing | Parisa Ahmadi | Script Consultant |
| Writing | Nebiyat Demissie | Script Consultant |
| Writing | Marisa Adame | Script Consultant |
| Writing | Chelsea Frey | Script Consultant |
| Writing | Ngozi Monica Cole | Script Consultant |
| Sound | Cameron Selan | Sound Effects |
| Sound | Cameron Selan | Dialogue Editor |
| Sound | Alemayehu Eshete | Music |
| Sound | Tlahoun Gessesse | Music |
| Sound | Mulatu Astatqe | Music |
