Film screening of docudrama Tidar (‘Marriage’): A research-based film on domestic violence and faith produced by Project dldl/ድልድል in Ethiopia and the UK

Based on real people's stories and testimonies collected through research in Ethiopia, docudrama Tidar (Marriage) tells the story of Genet, who is experiencing domestic violence, and presents her search for a moral and practical solution to her situation within the village community. 

It shows how the community responds to Genet’s predicament and how personal faith, religious mediation and theological teaching influence how she thinks through her situation. The aim of the film is to raise awareness about the complex role that religion can have in situations of domestic violence in the Ethiopian Orthodox community, influencing both victim and perpetrator rationalisations and behaviour. The film is re-enacted by Amharic-speaking actors in Ethiopia, with subtitles being produced in Tigrigna, Afaan Oromoo and English. 

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The film was written and led by Dr Romina Istratii, produced by Hermon Hailay and Max Conil of Exile Pictures (UK) and directed by Yidnekachew Shumete of Kurat Pictures (Ethiopia). The production was funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the Future Leaders Fellowship grant ‘Bridging religious studies, gender & development and public health to address domestic violence” (Grant Ref: MR/T043350/1) and is part of project dldl/ድልድል, a research and innovation project dedicated to the development and strengthening of religio-culturally sensitive domestic violence alleviation systems in East Africa and the UK.

The film screening is part of Project dldl /ድልድል Annual Conference taking place on 19 and 20 June 2024 at SOAS University of London. It will be followed by a Q&A with the research and production teams in the UK and Ethiopia, and a reception and networking event with refreshments and nibbles in the Senate House Cloister area. 

Contact

If you have any queries about the film, please contact Dr Romina Istratii (ri5@soas.ac.uk). For event-related queries please contact the Project dldl/ድልድል team at soasflf@soas.ac.uk