Fig Tree

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Fig Tree

2019

1h 33m

Drama

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83%

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6 Reviews

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During the Ethiopian civil war, a Jewish teenager hatches a scheme to keep her Christian boyfriend from being drafted, as she and her family prepare to flee the country and go to Israel.

Dennis Harvey

Variety

01/18/2019

"Fig Tree" is a fine drama whose seemingly casual progress only heightens its ultimate impact.

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Keith Uhlich

The Hollywood Reporter

09/13/2018

Though Asmamawe and the rest of the cast are quite wonderful, especially in the sense of familial camaraderie, the film is dutiful and depressing, the endpoint always evident and inescapable.

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Brandon Judell

HuffPost

06/09/2019

Masterful cinematography by Daniel Miller and a sterling cast help recreate Davidian's childhood memories. So with an unforgettable finale and all that has come before, one can only pray that Fig Tree gains the international attention it richly deserves.

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Harvey S. Karten

Big Apple Reviews

05/27/2019

B+

Gritty drama taking place during the civil war in Ethiopia that led Jews of that country to emigrate to Israel.

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Hannah Brown

Jerusalem Post

03/15/2019

Fig Tree is beautiful, romantic and cinematic, as well as historically interesting, and Davidian has made an impressive feature-film debut.

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Nathaniel Rogers

The Film Experience

10/12/2018

Beautifully shot, with two outstanding sequences - one haunting involving a suicidal old man, and one slyly funny in which the family rehearses going through customs - Fig Tree is a fine debut.

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Choonee T

08/26/2024

This is the real deal. Beautifully crafted and artfully told. Could have easily been the grim story of death and mayhem. Another great movie from that time period, Teza, has infact done just that. Instead, Fig Tree is about family [both the one you are born into, and the one you create for yourself], as well as the beauty and innocence of young love. Except for a few lines here and there, this movie has escaped a common pitfall for "modern" Ethiopian movies: using Amharic words with English intonation, intent, and spirit in them. The language came off as uncontaminated as the story and experiences of the chracters in it. The difference shown to elders, the glimpse into the chores of everyday life, the nastiness of security guards, and the comedy of time spent in a Photography Studio are captured fondly and well. And, to one born and bred in the same area, time, and culture; it brings back so many memories. Thank you, Davidian, for bringing my childhood to the silver screen. Thank you for those who made it happen. And all those who played a role in it, be it infront of the camera, or behind it. You are all worth your weight in gold. 💯

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Aalam-Warqe Davidian

Director

Betalehem Asmamawe

Mina

Weyenshiet Belachew

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Synopsis

During the Ethiopian civil war, a Jewish teenager hatches a scheme to keep her Christian boyfriend from being drafted, as she and her family prepare to flee the country and go to Israel.

Director: Aalam-Warqe Davidian
Producer: Naomi Levari, Saar Yogev
Screenwriter: Aalam-Warqe Davidian
Distributor: Menemsha Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Amharic
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 1, 2019, Limited
Runtime: 1h 33m

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