Sisai

Young Ethiopian-Israeli director David Gavro embarks on a remarkable journey to the land of his ancestors, attempting to reunite a father and son.

When Gavro’s family emigrated to Israel his parents adopted Sisai, now a charming 23 year old. When Sisai’s biological father is located back in Ethiopia, the two brothers decide to travel back to the country that used to be their home.

Touching on the most powerful feelings of belonging and alienation, blood relations and family ties, the film narrates the stories of immigrants caught between two worlds. At family meals, trips to the synagogue and interactions with local agencies, we feel the poignancy of an Ethiopian family trying to assimilate into an Israeli society in which they are welcomed yet never fully integrated. Once in Ethiopia, they cannot escape the feeling of being privileged outsiders and come face-to-face with the choices their parents have made in order to give them a better life. Will the anticipated meeting between father and son bring peace to Sisai’s troubled identity? GG

Best Documentary, Jerusalem Film Festival
Best Documentary, FIPA Biarritz