Ben Between Africa

Overview

While searching for clues to her uncle Ben’s mysterious death, filmmaker Ari discovers boxes of family letters tucked away in a farmhouse attic. With these as her guide, she dives into the quickly fading past to uncover the connecting thread between Ben’s death in 1975, her family’s time as Mennonite missionaries in Ethiopia, and the downfall of Haile Selassie, Ethiopia’s last king. The search reveals the enduring impact of family separation, cultural dislocation, and unresolved grief - while also illuminating the fragile but powerful possibility of intergenerational healing.

Ari Ali