Difret A challenging drama about tradition and women's rights

Difret
Film classification: 12A
Duration: 99 mins
Released: 2014
Director: Zeresenay Mehari
Country of origin: USA
Classification: 12A

Based on the inspirational true story of a young Ethiopian girl and a tenacious lawyer embroiled in a life-or-death clash between cultural traditions and their country’s advancement of equal rights. When 14-year-old Hirut is abducted in her rural village’s tradition of kidnapping women for marriage, she fights back, accidentally killing her captor and intended husband. 

Local law demands a death sentence for Hirut, but Meaza, a tough and passionate lawyer from a women’s legal aide practice, steps in to fight for her. With both Hirut’s life and the future of the practice at stake the two women must make their case for self-defense against one of Ethiopia’s oldest and most deeply-rooted traditions. 

DIFRET paints a portrait of a country in a time of great transformation and the brave individuals ready to help shape it.


Respond to this

?

Have you seen this film?

How good was it?

/10

Go see Difret at...