Grandpa Was an Emperor

Play trailer

Grandpa Was an Emperor

2023

1h 32m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

GRANDPA WAS AN EMPEROR follows Yeshi Kassa, great-granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, as she embarks on a personal quest to discover what happened to her closest relatives during the coup of 1974. While Yeshi and her older sister were thousands of miles away in a British boarding school, her great-grandfather was deposed by a revolution, setting off a harrowing chain of events that would put her parents and siblings in grave danger. For the very first time, the royal family examines the events that led to the collapse of a 3,000-year-old dynasty and reflects on how, against all odds, they were able to survive this turbulent time in Ethiopian history.

Kyle Bain

Film Threat

12/07/2021

8.5/10

The feature is informative, innovative, and encouraging, as the production checks all the necessary boxes to make a successful documentary.

Go to Full Review

Avi Offer

NYC Movie Guru

12/01/2021

9.04282/10

A captivating, gripping and poignant documentary.

Go to Full Review

Ron Wilkinson

It's Just Movies

11/20/2021

7/10

An intimate look at the final days of an Ethiopian Camelot gone terribly wrong.

Go to Full Review

Stephen Saito

Moveable Fest

11/19/2021

Grandpa Was an Emperor is undeniably compelling as it explores a birthright backfiring.

Go to Full Review

Grady Bolding

Cultured Vultures

11/18/2021

8/10

Grandpa Was An Emperor is a wonderful documentary...

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

telleyz com t

@TELLEYZ Feb 12

DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED that the woman in this film. keeps wondering why why why. let's get something very crystal clear. your grandpa let people...children starve to death. WHILE MAKING SURE HE AND HIS HAD ENOUGH. stop wondering why. stop trying to persuade us to your emotional point. as a leader....your grandpa had a responsibility to ensure food was available to THE PEOPLE. not just his family. see things from the side of those STARVING CHILDREN who trusted you and yours...the leadership would take care of them. i will NOT feel sorry for what happened to your family until you FEEL FOR THOSE STARVING ETHIOPIAN CHILDREN MEN AND WOMEN.

See more

Stephanie R

@SheLovesLac Jan 29

It was very informative and held my attention the entire time. I learned at lot and understand much better. Must see.

See more

freddYO

@RT73839427 08/13/2023

documentary well-made from the right-wing / monarch POV. its basically remnants of the upper class of society asking why the peasants revolted and killed their family. informative but actually felt like right-wing propaganda. relatives of Marie Antoinette asking why she had to be guillotined.

See more

Nic B

@RT64197136 06/03/2023

the movie was dog woter

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Constance Marks

Director

Yeshi Kassa

Self

Constance Marks

Producer

Corinne LaPook

Producer

Cynthia Erivo

Executive Producer

Solome Williams

Executive Producer

Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege

100%

%

Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege

Watchlist

The Dissident

96%

82%

The Dissident

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Dissident

Bobi Wine: The People's President

100%

83%

Bobi Wine: The People's President

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Bobi Wine: The People's President

Pharma Bro

60%

31%

Pharma Bro

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

GRANDPA WAS AN EMPEROR follows Yeshi Kassa, great-granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, as she embarks on a personal quest to discover what happened to her closest relatives during the coup of 1974. While Yeshi and her older sister were thousands of miles away in a British boarding school, her great-grandfather was deposed by a revolution, setting off a harrowing chain of events that would put her parents and siblings in grave danger. For the very first time, the royal family examines the events that led to the collapse of a 3,000-year-old dynasty and reflects on how, against all odds, they were able to survive this turbulent time in Ethiopian history.

Director: Constance Marks
Producer: Constance Marks, Corinne LaPook
Distributor: Freestyle Digital Media
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 7, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 30, 2023
Runtime: 1h 32m