Labyrinth of Belonging–Documentary Film

Emahoy Music Foundation needs your support

The Emahoy Tsege Mariam Music Foundation is producing Labyrinth of Belonging, a biopic of the nun musician. During Emahoy’s incredible life that spanned three continents and one hundred years, she studied in Europe, saw the Italian occupation of Ethiopia during World War II, prepared to be a concert pianist, and answered a call to monastic life.

Although she published vinyl records in the 70s, it was her solo compositions, featured in Ethiopiques 21 and published by Buda Musique, that made her world-famous. But despite her wide recognition, still very little is known about her journey, both as a musician and as a spiritual figure.

Labyrinth of Belonging will be an inspiring story, particularly to musicians and artists who struggle with their craft, as well as to anyone working to overcome obstacles in their own life.

WHAT HAS BEEN ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED:

Much of pre-production and production has already been completed. Research has been done, key participants in the biopic have been identified, and archival materials, such as pictures and footage depicting Emahoy’s childhood and the evolving state of Ethiopia throughout the 1900s, have been gathered.

We have footage of Emahoy’s monastic life in Israel, including interviews of Emahoy telling her story and playing the piano. We also interviewed Emahoy’s friends and family in Ethiopia and got footage of the Gishen Mariam Monastery in Gondar, where Emahoy became a nun at the age of twenty-one.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED:

On the production side, we need to gather materials from Emahoy’s school in Switzerland and her two prison locations in Italy. Then we need a professional editor to take all this material and make it into the best film possible. Once the film is completed, we intend to get Labyrinth of Belonging out on the festival circuit, with the ultimate goal of finding a distributor that will deliver the film to the public at large.