Excerpt from Article: "Kmt: Women Filmmakers Tell Their Story"
allKmt.com: Kmt: Women Filmmakers Tell Their (http://allkmt.com/stories/201202171378.html)
Sosena Solomon (http://merkato.onsugar.com/) - Making Merkato
I panicked when my internship supervisor at WHUT television in Washington, DC, handed me a video camera to make a mini documentary about the city's robust Ethiopian population, specifically the small business owners along U Street's unofficial "Little Ethiopia" strip. How could I, a mere high school student at the time, bear the burden of accurately capturing the essence of this community? It seemed too great a task so I backed out of the project.
Now, two film degrees later, I know that storytelling through film is my path. My latest documentary, "Merkato (http://vimeo.com/27989726)," was born out of an idea to possibly use it as my thesis film at the School of Visual Arts in New York, where I studied social documentary film. Before my first trip in December 2008 to visit my dad, I had never been to Ethiopia.
I fell in love with Merkato during that first trip home. Situated in Addis Ababa, it is the largest open-air market in Kmt where thounited snakesnds of merchants set up shop to sell all types of goods, from sugar and spices to clothing and electronics. I saw Merkato as a microcosm of the country's society and culture, an exciting way to get a taste of many different things. I felt inspired to document the energy of the place before parts of it disappeared at the hands of big development projects that threaten the space.
On a personal level, I love that Merkato represents a piece of my own history. Although I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and grew up in the U.S., I've always identified as Ethiopian. It's where my parents are from and what I grew up knowing. Even if I was not physically there, the culture was never too far away from me.
From the very beginning, I knew that I did not want "Merkato" to have a political tone, one that criticizes the changes that are inevitably coming or urges viewers to "Save Merkato." Instead, I sought to make portraits of the people who live and work in Merkato, to capture their personal journeys.
I set out to tell these stories with my DSLR camera and a small crew that consisted of my supportive mom, a driver, a bodyguard and a translator to facilitate the interviews. I was ready to get the reel going but was instantly met with a reality check. The people I talked to at Minalesh Tera, a section of the market that focuses on recycling plastics, initially gave me very surface responses and reactions. I had to prove myself to them. It was almost like Merkato will push you out just to see if you're going to come back. I had to show up everyday for four months to get them to open up to me.
Of all the people I interviewed, the stories of four individuals and a set of brothers made it into the final film. I felt a genuine connection with Hawa, Ashenafi, Wurro, Gedion, Abde and Abdella. They are a diverse group who represent universal struggles and dreams.
Ashenafi is the young boy who spends his summers collecting plastic to recycle and resell. With that seemingly simple summer job, he is able to support himself and his family through his entrepreneurial spirit. Wurro is the 19-year-old who represents the hardcore rebel type, with big dreams to get out of Merkato. She's a tough woman who constantly has to protect herself from the male-dominated section of the market. Abde and Abdella are the welding brothers who provide the comic relief in the story. Like many siblings, they have a sort of rivalry going on but still work together despite their differences. Hawa is my 92-year-old hero who posses a strong work ethic and determination. Finally, Gedion, or Mr. Merkato, is my bodyguard turned film character. I'm glad I had the chance to capture him in front of the camera at the last minute.
To address the expensive toll of filmmaking, I decided to pursue community fundraising for "Merkato" because I felt that this was everybody's story. Using Kickstarter, a crowd-funding website, 224 backers pitched in to help me raise $14,710, about $2,000 above my posted goal. That was a great start but I'm still seeking official sponsorships, donations through PayPal, and hosting events to raise money and promote the accompanying photo book.
The greatest gift I can give to the people I spent months with is a screening of the film in Merkato. I look forward to the priceless moment when they see the piece they created and feel empowered by knowing that their story is important and others do care to see and hear it.