Adwa

Crucial to watch if one wants to understand the exceptional position of Ethiopia against colonialism on the African continent. It teaches us that history is not just in History-books but history appears and re-appears in images which we have to watch as carefully as possible. History rests in bodies that produce languages beyond speech; it emerges from social relations that open up a space between people; it transforms into sounds that request a good listener. The film by Gerima is a corresponding voice to Theo Eshetu's Blood is Not Fresh Water from 1997 (which is an experimental journey in form of a film with Eshetu's grandfather who had been an Ethiopian diplomat and the writer of the first books on Ethiopian history; he also appears in Adwa). More than a history lesson, therefore, Adwa provides a view on contemporary Africa through an Ethiopian horizon.

I found it very informative and useful to my purpose. Also I found that it contains valuable historical references which are timely traced and recorded for people who wants to study and know about the Adwa battle between the gallant Ethiopians who fought using spear and defeated the well organized and militarily armed with modern arsenals nation of Europe - Italy in the 18's during the uprising of the European to annex and occupy Africa.

This DVD is just part one of what looks to be a two part set (part two I imagine is being in production). I never new about this story so when I received my DVD, I immediately watched it and was floored by the presentation. If you enjoyed Sankofa, then you definitely need this film too as it shows a great victory and history of Ethiopia.

It's not what I thought it would be. Most of the time the people are speaking in Amharic and I don't speak Amharic.

Why market/sell a film in America that's in a foreign language and not tell the buyer !!! Just horrible !!! Probably a great film if I could understand it !!!!

ADWA: AN AFRICAN VICTORY should be made into an Epic feature film. No doubt about it. Like what filmmaker Charles Burnett did for Namibia: A Struggle for Liberation filmmaker/professor Haile Gerima should do for ADWA.VERY IMPACTFUL! A MUST SEE!

I used this documentary to teach about European Imperialism in Africa in my World History class. There were only two countries that were successful at resisting European Imperialisms, this is a story about one of them.

Contrary to what another user here said, the dvd I received does indeed have English subtitles. It was a great film.