Sewmehon Yismaw: Front and Center in Ethiopian Cinema’s New Era

By Faisale Shefawe
Published on 03/02/26

On the surface, Ethiopian cinematography and filmmaking have reached a level that rivals Western-produced movies and music videos. Gone are the days when audiences viewed films and music videos made in Ethiopia as inferior to those produced in Hollywood.

Behind the scenes, talented filmmakers like Sewmehon Yismaw are pushing creative boundaries—maximizing modest equipment and self-taught editing skills to deliver exceptional visual quality. Today, he has become a go-to producer for high-quality music videos and films, playing a key role in shaping the new era of Ethiopian cinema.

Movies had always shaped Sewmehon at a young age in Gondar, a city 457 miles from the capital, where he was born and raised. After class in high school, while other students rushed to play games, he often went to local movie houses to watch films. “I spent all my free time watching whatever movies were showing at a local movie house near my house,” Sewmehon said.

In 2003, Sewmehon moved to Addis Ababa to attend Addis Ababa University, studying Procurement and Supply Management. This move would later shape his path in the filmmaking industry. His uncle, a full-time photographer, provided him with early exposure to the craft.

“I don’t think I would have become a filmmaker if it weren’t for my uncle,” Sewmehon said. “Whenever I wasn’t at campus, I was with him, helping out whenever he had a job.”

It was during this time that Sewmehon honed his editing skills, learned about visual quality, and began mastering the art of storytelling.

After graduating in 2008, Sewmehon immediately pursued filmmaking. In 2011, he released his first movie, 8:62, featuring actors who would later become prominent in the Ethiopian film industry. The crime thriller was packed with plot twists, unfolding over the 62-minute runtime.

His first commercially successful project as a cinematographer came in 2015 with Pendulum. Directed and produced by Thomas Getachew, this romantic comedy follows Girum (played by Amanuel Yilma), an aspiring fashion designer striving to make his mark.

“The movie premiered at Millennium Hall, and thousands of people attended on its first day,” Sewmehon said. “I also received an award from Canon for my cinematography on the film.”

Known for his passion for music, Sewmehon has also become a leading producer of music videos. In November 2025, he produced videos for Esayas Tamirat that demonstrated to Ethiopian audiences worldwide that local cinematography had reached a new level. One of these videos has garnered over 700,000 views

“These were the most expensive music videos I’ve ever produced,” Sewmehon said. “We had over 40 people on stage and even paid the audience to create a realistic concert atmosphere.”

Sewmehon remains optimistic about the growth of Ethiopia’s filmmaking industry. “I’m confident our movies will start reaching global audiences soon, as long as we continue producing high-quality films with incredible scripts,” he said. However, he admits, “We still need to improve our storytelling skills to create truly great narratives.”