Merawi Gerima
Visiting Filmmaker, MFA in Film
Profile
Merawi Gerima is a filmmaker from Washington DC. This origin informs his work and his community-centered orientation.
RESIDUE, his first feature, was a total communal endeavor, made possible primarily by the effort of the people it attempts to portray. Following its world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival, RESIDUE was honored with the festival’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and the Acting Award for star Obinna Nwachukwu. RESIDUE was awarded Special Mention at the 77th Venice International Film Festival’s Giornate degli Autori and won the John Cassavettes Award at the 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Gerima is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts (SCA). He is the son of celebrated Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima, a legendary figure in the L.A. Rebellion film movement.