Faya Dayi

Directed by Jessica Beshir

Ethiopia
2021, 120 min

Ethiopian-Mexican filmmaker Jessica Beshir’s stunning, meditative, and mesmerizing documentary, Faya Dayi, was filmed in and around Harar in Eastern Ethiopia, traditional home of the Oromos, over a period of 10 years. It’s about the euphoria-inducing khat (chhat) agribusiness, the country’s most sought-after export, and its impact on the livelihoods of the people who grow, harvest, sort, sell and use it. The ongoing storytelling of the wise tale of Dhu Al-Qarnein and images of khat’s uses in spiritual and religious ceremonies, poetry, and music throughout the ages are revelatory. In Oromo, Harari and Amharic with English subtitles.

Thursday, March 3, 2022 | 7:00pm
This film will be viewed online
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