Film Review: “Zerafâ€Â, a tale of cultural clash, outrageous acts and acceptance
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – (The Reporter) What happens when an overaggressive, politically incorrect, prejudiced father with a special dislike for people from China to the point that he refuses to use Chinese product meets his future Chinese son in law? Issues of Cultural clashes take center stage in ‘Zeraf’ staring Shewaferaw Desalegn, Mekdes Tsegaye, and Lan Zhi.
The conflict centers on the relationship between the not so bright daughter and the temperamental father who is still angry over his father’s death caused by a faulty Chinese power generator some years ago.
His daughter, oblivious to his resentment of Chinese people, dumps her Ethiopian friend and falls in love with a man from China. The father does not know his nationality when he sends elders to deal with the marriage proposal.
When he does find out, he is so startled he ends up in a coma for three months only to awaken and be told he soon will be a grandfather.
He compels his new son in law to do comical and outrageous acts in order to be accepted; such as drinking 32 bottles of the Ethiopian traditional alcoholic drink “Tejj†and making the traditional Ethiopian food “Injera†and after he finishes the difficult task in stellar fashion he finally accepts him as part of the family. The film is currently being shown in Alem Cinema and other smaller cinemas in Addis and regional cities.
