Beti and Amare

USA / Spain / Romania / Germany • 2014 • 94m •

• Directed by: Andy Siege. • Starring: Hiwot Asres, Pascal Dawson, Yonas An Kidane, Biniyam Kore, Delelegne Sharwe, Andy Siege, Mahdere H Sisay, Atrsaw Wisenbet..

1936 Ethiopia. Beti, a young Ethiopian girl has escaped Mussolini's troops and found refuge in the peaceful south of Ethiopia. As the Italians march ever closer Beti has to battle hunger, thirst, and the unwelcome sexual advances of the local militia. When the situation threatens to escalate towards the unthinkable, a spaceship cracks through the clouds... its cargo... love.

Trailers:

Length:

Languages:

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Trailer #1

3:04

Trailer #2

2:14

Trailer #3

2:01

Review:

In 1930s Ethiopia, Beti is a teenage girl, at threat from the young men of the local militia and on guard from Italian soldiers. Then fate intervenes in the form of an alien visitor... or is that in her mind? Honestly, as the film jumps from colour to monochrome without discernible reason, and as two, or possibly three, interpretations of events conflate, it's hard to say what has happened - but nor was I particularly interested.

It's a visually striking film - really impressively so given the reported budget of USD13,000 and tiny crew - and Hiwot Asres gives a strong central performance. But it's underwritten and doesn't seem to amount to much. There's enough here to suggest that Siege the director may be worth keeping an eye on, but not enough to recommend this film.

Review by reev0 from the Internet Movie Database.