H2 Empower, a non-profit organization, and the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington are collaborating on a one-time fundraiser this weekend that will include a film screening, traditional Ethiopian snacks and the opportunity to purchase authentic, handmade jewelry for a good cause.
The event centers around the screening of Director Yared Zeleke’s debut film, Lamb, which appeared at the Cannes Film Festival in France in 2015. The film follows a motherless boy sent away by his father to live with relatives in rural Ethiopia. Things take a turn when the boy’s uncle suggests his beloved sheep be sacrificed, forcing the boy to act in order to save the animal’s life.
Lamb was the first Ethiopian film ever selected at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, according to CNN.
In an interview with the news network when the film debuted, Zeleke said Ethiopia’s non-existent film industry makes it difficult for nascent filmmakers to get projects off the
ground.
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“There are so many difficulties facing young filmmakers in Ethiopia today,” he said. “There aren’t proper support systems in the country. We have to work on that, and I hope Lamb will open the minds and hearts of all Ethiopians to nurture real storytelling and cinema in this country.”
While bringing much-needed attention to the film is one of H2 Empower’s goals, the non-profit is also continuing the work it’s been doing for more than a dozen years in struggling African nations. Proceeds will help the organization provide girls access to high-quality education.
Included in the ticket price is a reception with Ethiopian coffee and snacks, handmade Ethiopian jewelry and scarves, plus a speaker as well as a fundraiser for education for girls in Ethiopia. Come and celebrate this phenomenal film and this magical land and culture! Lamb and Ethiopian coffee?! A no-brainer! Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington. cinemaartscentre.org $15-$20. 1:30 p.m. Jan. 8.
