Hiwot Admasu Getaneh

In the district of Katanga, in Addis Ababa, Amele and her makeshift hostel welcome young people seeking refuge in the Ethiopian capital. Every day sees the arrival of a new person, a new experience, a new story. The filmmakers sensitively paint the portrait of a place and its residents.

A girl who is in the transition of puberty encounters something that arouses her sexually for the first time. She becomes restless as the day goes by in her oblivious semi-urban environment.

When young Mesi steps in for her squeamish brother to perform a traditional — male-only — ritual, she faces blame for the negative outcome. Instead, she defiantly questions the wisdom of her elders’ beliefs.