# Difret
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{{short description|2014 Ethiopian film}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=September 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Difret
| image = Difret poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [Zeresenay Berhane Mehari](/source/Zeresenay_Berhane_Mehari)
| producer = [Mehret Mandefro](/source/Mehret_Mandefro)
Leelai Demoz
Zeresenay Mehari
| writer = Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
| starring = [Meron Getnet](/source/Meron_Getnet)
Tizita Hagere
| music = [Dave Eggar](/source/Dave_Eggar)
David Schommer
| cinematography = Monika Lenczewska
| editing = [Agnieszka Glińska](/source/Agnieszka_Gli%C5%84ska_(film_editor))
| studio = Haile Addis Pictures
Truth Aid
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|2014|1|18|[Sundance](/source/2014_Sundance_Film_Festival)|2014|9|25|Ethiopia|df=yes}}
| runtime = 99 minutes
| country = Ethiopia
| language = [Amharic](/source/Amharic_language)
| gross = $57,2013[{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/difret#tab=box-office|title=Difret |work=[The Numbers](/source/The_Numbers_(website))|accessdate=12 February 2017}}]
}}
'''''Difret''''' ({{Langx|am|ድፍረት|lit=Courage}}) is a 2014 Ethiopian [drama film](/source/drama_film) written and directed by [Zeresenay Berhane Mehari](/source/Zeresenay_Berhane_Mehari). The film had its premiere in-competition at the [2014 Sundance Film Festival](/source/2014_Sundance_Film_Festival) where it won the World Cinematic Dramatic Audience Award.[{{cite web |title=Sundance 2014: World Cinema Dramatic Competition|date=10 January 2014|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/sundance-2014-world-cinema-dramatic-competition|accessdate=18 January 2014}}][{{cite web |title=World Cinema Dramatic Competition |url=http://filmguide.sundance.org/event/films/category/WDC |accessdate=18 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118220722/http://filmguide.sundance.org/event/films/category/WDC |archive-date=18 January 2014 |url-status=dead }}] [Angelina Jolie](/source/Angelina_Jolie) served as the executive producer of the film.[{{cite web |title=Sundance 2014: Angelina Jolie Joins Ethiopian Film 'Difret' as Executive Producer|website=[The Hollywood Reporter](/source/The_Hollywood_Reporter)|date=15 January 2014|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-2014-angelina-jolie-joins-671439|access-date=14 April 2014}}]
The film later premiered at the [64th Berlin International Film Festival](/source/64th_Berlin_International_Film_Festival) in the Panorama section,[{{Cite web|url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/alle/Alle-Detail_21525.html |title=Panorama 2014: Selection of Fictional Features for Main Programme and Panorama Special Now Complete |accessdate=19 January 2014 |work=berlinale}}][{{Cite web|url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/programm/berlinale_programm/datenblatt.php?film_id=20143025#tab=filmStills |title=Difret |accessdate=7 February 2014 |work=berlinale}}] where it won the Audience Award.[{{Cite web|url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/panorama/pan-presse-detail_22932.html |title=Panorama 64th Berlinale |accessdate=16 February 2014 |work=Berlinale}}] It was selected as the Ethiopian entry for the [Best Foreign Language Film](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Foreign_Language_Film) at the [87th Academy Awards](/source/87th_Academy_Awards), but was not nominated.[{{cite web |url=http://www.tadias.com/10/11/2014/difret-submitted-for-oscar-consideration-for-best-foreign-language-film/ |title='Difret' Submitted for Oscar Consideration for Best Foreign Language Film |accessdate=11 October 2014 |work=Tadias}}][{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/news/83-countries-competition-2014-foreign-language-film-oscarr |title=83 Countries In Competition For 2014 Foreign Language Film Oscar |accessdate=10 October 2014 |work=AMPAS|date=9 October 2014 }}][{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscar-attracts-best-foreign-language-739698 |title=Oscar Attracts Best Foreign Language Film Submissions From a Record 83 Countries |accessdate=10 October 2014 |work=Hollywood Reporter|date=9 October 2014 }}]
The title literally translates as "[courage](/source/courage)", "[audacity](/source/Boldness)",[{{Cite web |url=http://www.amharicproject.com/2014/10/fretting-over-difret.html |title=The Amharic Project: Fretting over Difret |access-date=9 August 2017 |archive-date=31 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031173224/http://www.amharicproject.com/2014/10/fretting-over-difret.html |url-status=dead }}] but can also be a euphemism for "the act of being raped."[http://www.diplomaticourier.com/difret/{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}]
==Plot==
The film chronicles a legal-precedent setting court case that outlawed the [kidnapping of child brides](/source/Bride_kidnapping) (ጠለፈ ''tʼelefa'') in [Ethiopia](/source/Ethiopia). It tells the story of a 14-year-old girl, Hirut Assefa (based on Aberash Bekele), who is kidnapped on her way home from school and subsequently grabs a rifle and tries to escape, but ends up shooting her would-be husband. In her village, the practice of abduction into marriage is common and one of Ethiopia's oldest traditions. [Meaza Ashenafi](/source/Meaza_Ashenafi), the founder of the [Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association](/source/Ethiopian_Women_Lawyers_Association) (EWLA), arrives from the city to have her team represent Hirut and argue that she acted in self-defence.
==Cast==
* [Meron Getnet](/source/Meron_Getnet) as Meaza Ashenafi
* Tizita Hagere as Hirut Assefa
==Controversy==
The film was temporarily banned in September 2014 for allegedly giving "too much credit" to Ashenafi, according to a complaint by Bekele, on whose experience the film was based. The case settled out of court and the ban was ultimately lifted. The film's director, Mehari, apologized to Bekele for "any misperception and for any harm that [they] may have caused."[{{cite web|url=http://www.ethiopiaobserver.com/ban-on-difret-film-lifted/|title=Ban on Difret film lifted - Ethiopia Observer|work=ethiopiaobserver.com|access-date=7 December 2014|archive-date=10 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210134743/http://www.ethiopiaobserver.com/ban-on-difret-film-lifted/|url-status=dead}}] The film subsequently enjoyed a successful theatrical run in Ethiopia and kicked off its educational outreach efforts that are focused on raising awareness about the issue of child marriage.[{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mehret-mandefro/difret-building-a-culture_b_5760922.html|title=Difret: Building a Culture of Courage|work=The Huffington Post|date=4 September 2014}}] Ashenafi's leadership and administration of EWLA during this time is the reason she has received several international human rights awards including the Africa Prize of [The Hunger Project](/source/The_Hunger_Project) for her work defending vulnerable women and children in Ethiopia.[{{cite web|url=http://ethiopia.usembassy.gov/pr0808.html|title=Press Release 2008 - Embassy of the United States Addis Ababa, Ethiopia|work=usembassy.gov|access-date=7 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210122446/http://ethiopia.usembassy.gov/pr0808.html|archive-date=10 December 2014|url-status=dead}}]
==Reception==
''Difret'' received mixed reviews upon its premiere at the [2014 Sundance Film Festival](/source/2014_Sundance_Film_Festival). Dennis Harvey of ''[Variety](/source/Variety_(magazine))'', said in his review that "'Difret' presents an important message, albeit in rather clunky narrative terms. More showing and less telling would have made this fact-inspired drama by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari as artistically compelling as it is informative. Still, fests and other outlets attracted to social-justice issues will queue up for this relatively rare export-ready Ethiopian feature."[{{cite web |title=Sundance Film Review: 'Difret'|date=25 January 2014|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/sundance-film-review-difret-1201069956/|accessdate=14 April 2014}}] Boyd van Hoeij in his review for ''[The Hollywood Reporter](/source/The_Hollywood_Reporter)'' called the film "A quiet and powerful drama, based on a true story, that relies on familiar storytelling tropes."[{{cite web |title=Difret: Sundance Review|website=[The Hollywood Reporter](/source/The_Hollywood_Reporter)|date=27 January 2014|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/difret-sundance-review-674060|accessdate=14 April 2014}}] The film has a score of 58% on Metacritic.[{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/difret|title=Difret|website=[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic)|publisher=|accessdate=29 January 2017}}]
==Accolades==
[[File:"Difret" Won the Audience Award for World Cinema Dramatic (12186030695).jpg|150px|thumb|upright|''Difret'' wins the Audience Award at the [2014 Sundance Film Festival](/source/2014_Sundance_Film_Festival).|left]]
{{Anchor|Awards}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Recipient
! Result
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2014
| rowspan="2"| [Sundance Film Festival](/source/2014_Sundance_Film_Festival)
| World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
| Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
| {{nom}}
|-
| Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic
| Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
| {{won}}[{{cite web |title=Sundance: 'Whiplash' & 'Rich Hill' Win Grand Jury Awards; Dramatic Directing Goes To Cutter Hodierne For 'Fishing Without Nets'|date=26 January 2014|url=https://deadline.com/2014/01/sundance-film-festival-winners-2014-awards-list-671058/|access-date=26 January 2014}}][{{cite web |title='Whiplash' Owns the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Awards Netting Two Top Prizes|date=26 January 2014|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/the-2014-sundance-film-festival-winners-as-they-come-in|accessdate=26 January 2014}}]
|-
| [Berlin International Film Festival](/source/64th_Berlin_International_Film_Festival)
| Panorama Audience Award
| Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
| {{won}}