Hyattsville, Maryland — In celebration of Black History Month, the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, (ATHA) Inc. and the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation (CDC), in cooperation with the City of Hyattsville, are proud to present the premiere Maryland showing of TEZA, the latest release from world-renowned, independent filmmaker Haile Gerima. A one-week limited engagement of TEZA will begin on February 26th at Regal Entertainment’s Royale Stadium 14, at the University Town Center, in Hyattsville, Maryland.
Movie Tickets will be on sale at the Regal Royale’s box office or online at www.fandango.com or www.regalentertainmentgroup.com. Haile Gerima, a native Ethiopian and distinguished film professor at Howard University, wrote produced and directed TEZA, as well as the critically acclaimed 1993 filmSankofa, a historically inspired dramatic tale of African resistance to slavery. TEZA is Gerima’s eleventh work and seventh dramatic film. Reflecting on the full suite of the filmmakers’ work, Variety magazine described Gerima as, “one of the independent cinema’s chief chroniclers of the African-American and African Diaspora experiences.”
In bringing TEZA to Hyattsville’s Regal Royale, ATHA, Inc. and its partners support another cultural event for Prince George’s County. According to Karen Crooms, Executive Director of ATHA, Inc “this is a great example for like-minded partnerships coming together to offer highquality, culturally relevant arts and entertainment to further enhance the cultural heritage tourism potential of this area.” Stuart Eisenberg, Executive Director of the Hyattsville CDC, co-sponsor of the event said, “hosting this film is a great chance for us to celebrate Black History Month in Hyattsville with our partner, ATHA, Inc. Our community is woven from a rich tapestry of many identities from all over the world, and given the opportunity; we can learn just how intricate, engaging and recognizable that tapestry can be. Through TEZA, we have the chance to see that Black History is both a local and global phenomenon, and we are richer for the glimpse and the insights that the movie provides.”
TEZA, “morning dew” in Amharic, depicts the ways in which the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie affected Ethiopia’s history and society. The film, set in Germany and Ethiopia, examines the displacement of African intellectuals, both home and abroad, through the story of a young, idealistic Ethiopian doctor – Anberber. The movie chronicles Anberber’s internal struggle to stay true, both to himself and to his homeland, but above all, TEZA explores the possession of memory – a right humanity mandates that each of us have – the right to own our past. TEZA, according to actor, Danny Glover, is a “film that people of all cultures and background should
see.”
“Historically, we have found that the success of our most widely distributed films has been largely attributable to grassroots support from organizations like ATHA and the Hyattsville CDC,” said filmmaker Gerima. “Engaging with communities and groups that are large and small, and that are reflective of the full cultural spectrum is the most powerful tactic in our specific methodology of distribution. This intimate and accessible approach is also symbiotic with my vision of what independent cinema should be.”
TEZA is the winner of over 20 coveted international film awards, including the Special Jury Prize conferred at the 2009 Venice Film Festival; the UN-World Bank Special Prize; and Golden Stallion award for Best Picture presented at the 2009 Fespaco Pan-African Film Festival. The film made its U.S. premiere in Washington D.C. this past fall, and enjoyed an eight-week run at the Avalon Theater.
Starting Friday, February 26th there will be four screenings of TEZA daily at Hyattsville’s Regal Royale. The filmmaker will take part in question and answer session opening night at the Regal Royale Stadium 14. Show times are as follows: Fri., Sat. & Sun. at 11:30AM, 2:30PM, 5:30PM and 8:30PM; Mon., Tues., Wed., Thur. at 1:00PM, 4:00PM, 7:00PM & 10:00PM.
The Anacostia Trails Heritage Area (ATHA), Inc. is a public/private partnership dedicated to creating a competitive and sustainable heritage tourism destination within northern Prince George’s County, Maryland. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that partners in the private, public and non-profit sectors to accomplish our goals and mission.
The Hyattsville CDC is dedicated to the revitalization and sustainable development of the Hyattsville community. Founded in the fall of 2000 by community activists, its mission is to develop arts, entertainment, and public spaces; spur economic development and the quality of community life; encourage widespread leadership for community revitalization; and to rebuild the City’s commercial corridors.