Wax & Gold
Ruth Beckermann, Austria / Italy 2026
German, English, Italian, Amharic with English subtitles
97 minutes, color & black-and-white

In the late 1960s—a defining decade for Africa—Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie opened the Hilton Addis Ababa, a grand hotel that became a controversial symbol of his hopes for the continent’s future, but also of his own self-aggrandizement. Ruth Beckermann takes up residence at the hotel and immerses herself in Ethiopia’s past and present. In doing so, she navigates between the familiar and the foreign, between fact and fiction. Her search for historical truth unfolds as a critical examination full of contradictions, insights, and moments of enlightenment. Beckermann combines archival footage of the emperor with contemporary conversations and interviews at the hotel, while also weaving her own reflections as a European woman into the film. At the same time, she offers glimpses into life outside the opulent hotel, where workers stand in long lines at bus stops and the skyline is dominated by the skeletons of unfinished high-rises.

Unfortunately, we can only offer 33 seats for film screenings. If you’d like to reserve a seat, please send a brief email to: post@art-of-buna.de. The screening starts at 7:00 p.m.—doors open at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free; donations are welcome.