Black Slaughter

Israel, 1996. Against the backdrop of the Ethiopian blood scandal, Hailu, a 21-year-old Ethiopian Jew, is entrusted with his father’s knife and sent to perform an ancient ritual: the slaughter of a lamb. His journey leads him into the desert and across into Palestine, where fulfilling his family’s tradition becomes a confrontation with identity, violence, and the possibility of choosing his own path.

Directed by New York-based photographer and filmmaker Gigi Betito, “Black Slaughter” is a stunning, cinematic watch and an unexpected combination of profound human empathy and a powerful, dark comedic edge. Rooted in real history, it’s a deeply personal story about figuring out who you are and what actually matters when you’re caught between the rigid walls of race, religion, and nationalism.

Malaika Bova