“Orphan Girl” December 9, 2015

This docudrama is the true story of Helen Getachew Abebe who was born in a brushwood hut in southern Ethiopia.  As a young girl she lost 2 sisters, her mother and father and a leg to gangrene.  She grew up in an orphanage that owed as much to Dickens as to Mother Theresa.

After the many difficult times portrayed in the film, today Helen is a healthy, strong young woman with a son and a movie about her from which she is trying to raise enough money to start a small orphanage for street kids in Ethiopia.

“Orphan Girl” is being presented by Eric Anderson, aka Hum, Sooke’s own envoy to Ethiopia.  Hum is executive producer and assistant director of this film and also acts in it, although he is quick to point out that the director and other actors are all veterans (who did not take a dime for their work).  Hum will be attending the screening and will answer questions from the audience.

Awareness Film Night has promoted Hum’s work in Ethiopia at several of our past December  film nights.  This screening will be a benefit for the orphanage that Helen and Hum will  be creating.  All of the expenses of the night (theatre rental, advertising, etc.) will be covered so that every donation received will go towards their project.

The language of the movie is the national language of Ethiopia, Amharic. with English subtitles.