August 2, 2015 Documentary Filmmaker Melissa Donovan to Screen, Discuss "Zemene"

The Hebraic Section of the Library’s African and Middle Eastern Division, the Daniel A. P. Murray African American Culture Association and the Hebrew Language Table will present a film screening of “Zemene” and a talk by filmmaker Melissa Donovan.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 12 in the Mary Pickford Theater, located on the third floor of the Library’s James Madison Building at 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.

“Zemene” (2014, 68 min.) documents the struggles of a young Ethiopian girl growing up in poverty and afflicted with a rare, potentially life-threatening illness. Her life is changed by a chance encounter with Dr. Rick Hodes, an internist specializing in spinal conditions, who is in Ethiopia working for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

A native of Boston, Donovan started her career as a camera assistant to many well-known filmmakers, including Robert Richardson and Carolyn Chen. She has worked in the commercial, independent and documentary world as a cinematographer for more than 15 years.

“Zemene” has earned Donovan awards for Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Documentary at the 2014 Boston Film Festival; Best of the Festival at the 2014 Chagrin Documentary Film Festival and the 2014 St. Louis International Film Festival; Best Feature Documentary at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival; and the Audience Award for Best Emerging Filmmaker at the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival.

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