Addis Abeba — Ethiopian born filmmaker Haile Gerima will be honored with the Berlinale Camera at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cinema.
Haile Gerima's latest work, Black Lions - Roman Wolves, a nearly nine-hour exploration of the history and mythology of Italian colonialism and a commemoration of Ethiopian resistance, is set to celebrate its world premiere in this year's Berlinale Forum.
The presentation of the Berlinale Camera will take place on 17 February 2026, at 4:00 pm at Delphi Filmpalast, during the screening of the film.
"Haile Gerima's works bear witness to histories marked by oppression, resistance, and the unfinished work of decolonisation -- stories that speak with urgent force to the world today. Though he entered Competition with Sankofa in 1993, the Forum recognized Haile's work early on, and we are very proud to welcome him back to the Forum with his long-gestating Black Lions - Roman Wolves. It is an honor to present a Berlinale Camera to a filmmaker who has transformed the way so many understand the world," said Tricia Tuttle, Director of the Berlinale.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Born in Ethiopia, Haile emigrated to the United States in 1967, where he studied at the University of California. He became a key figure in the L.A. Rebellion, a collective of African-American and African filmmakers who, beginning in the 1970s, forged an alternative and independent Black American cinema movement.
Haile's body of work blends personal, historical, and political narratives. Although he has long resided in the United States, his films remain deeply rooted in his Ethiopian heritage.
His best-known works include Harvest: 3,000 Years (1975), Bush Mama (1976), Ashes and Embers (1982), the internationally acclaimed Sankofa (1993), which premiered in the Berlinale Competition, and Teza (2008), a drama reflecting on Ethiopia's past.
Established in 1986, the Berlinale Camera honors individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to filmmaking and maintain a special connection with the festival. The award consists of 128 individual components and is modeled on a real film camera. It is crafted by Düsseldorf-based goldsmith artist Georg Hornemann.
