Review: By Olurotimi Akanbi
If Theodros Teshome’s Red Mistake has anything on its side, it has time. In the recent trial and conviction of former Dergue members, only three weeks ago, Red Mistake acts as a reminder of that bloody period and the countless lives that were lost.
The film begins with a very detailed prologue on the historical-political background of the film, concerning the ruling Dergue Party and the Ethiopian People Revolutionary Part (EPRP). In fact, it may be one of the most extensive prologues in film history. This gives way to archival footage of Dergue members in a public rally. This footage is effective in connecting the historical reality with the fictional story that follows.
The film begins with a bang as director, Theodros, does not waste any time in depicting the violent atmosphere under the Dergue’s reign. Incidents, such as an EPRP supporter cutting the throats of Dergue soldiers as well as a powerful scene where a Dergue solider shoots and kills young men who are supporting EPRP, only to discover one boy is his own son, are rapidly shown.
Theodros creates the world by illustrating several incidents that demonstrate the violent, turbulent country. The film then takes us inside a Dergue meeting led by Dergue member Legesse (Fikadu T. Mariam). Legesse privately meets with his brother after the meeting and instructs him to keep watch and enforce the Dergue’s control in town.
We are then introduced to Tamiru (played by Theodros) as a young man with a wife and baby boy. His wife is worried over the continuous violence as they hear gunshots outside their home, but eventually rests her assurance in Tamiru. Tamiru’s brother is a fierce supporter of EPRP with lines such as, “My death will help my cause.” It is while Tamiru is attempting to persuade his brother of the danger that exists that they are both arrested by the Dergue military.
The films then jumps seven years forward where we find Tamiru in Bonga raising his son, Bisrat, alone. Tamiru is extremely protective of Bisrat (who is played very well by the young actor) as he has acquired the name ‘Bisrat’s mom.’ When Bisrat injures his foot, his father rushes him to the town hospital as if Bisrat was dying, rushing pass other waiting patients. The woman, who is simply referred to as the Doctor, befriends Tamiru and their friendship heads toward romance until Tamiru relates to her the events that occurred in Jimma; these same events would return to threaten both Tamriu and the thing he loves most: his son.
The dark subject of the film does have humour. In fact, Theodros creates an almost stark contrast between the world of Jimma and Bonga. Jimma is a place where horrible things have happened. The true darkness of the film is felt while in Jimma. When the film moves to Bonga so does its mood. The story becomes lighter and Theodros is not afraid to employ comical moments and character such as Shimeles (Shewaferaw Desalegn) in an otherwise sombre story. Shimeles (the English spelling closely resembles the word shameless, which is an accurate description of him) is the town clown whose attraction to the Doctor brings several amusing scenes.
But the story as a whole is about Tamiru, his son and the backdrop of the Dergue regime. Typically films that attempt to deal with historical periods tend to treat history superficially or oversimplify the events. The Red Mistake, in ways, avoids this by showing sympathetic Dergue soldiers who do not simply follow commands, but do what they feel is right. We do not have a simple black and white, good versus evil story. And Theodros does not pull any punches or hold back in any way in depicting the brutality and violence of the Dergue’s power.
Yet the historical period in Ethiopia had a widespread affect on the entire country and the Red Mistake begins with this type of wide-scope, vast storytelling, but when the story moves to Bonga that scope is lost and the film focuses solely on Tamiru’s story. And the world created by Theodros in the opening moments does not carry through to the rest of the film.
While the Red Mistake does hold the attention of the viewers, the story does not sustain the power it began with, because the scope becomes limited to Tamiru and that multi-layered, epic narrative in the beginning becomes a simple, straight forward story. It is only because the historical reality had such vast effects, on the entire population, that a film depicting that period can only represent that reality by being as vast and wide in its own perspective.
Source: Fortune
