The Medallion

Name: The Medallion
Director: Ruth Hunduma
Released: 2024
Duration: 19

10 PG

Ruth and her mother go back to Ethiopia and explore her mother’s story as a survivor of the Red Terror genocide. Amidst a new civil war, the two revisit a country bursting with history and culture.

Awards

Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (2024) – Nominated: Grand Prix: International Competition

Alexandria Short Film Festival (2024) – Winner: Hypatia Golden Award

Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (2024) – Winner: Student Prize: International Competition

International Documentary Association (2024) – Nominated: IDA Award: Best Short Documentary

AFI Fest (2024) – Nominated: Grand Jury Prize: Documentary Short Film

Melbourne International Film Festival (2024) – Nominated: City of Melbourne Award: Best Short Film

San Francisco International Film Festival (2024) – Winner: Golden Gate Jury Award: Best Documentary Short

One World Media Awards (2024) – Nominated: Short Film

DocAviv Film Festival (2024) – Nominated: Shorts Competition: Best Short Film

Vilnius International Short Film Festival (2025) – Nominated: Grand Prix

10 PG

Short

African

Award Winning

SHORTS BLOCK

Roots of Resistance

Director(s):

Ruth Hunduma

Country:

UK | Ethiopia

Year:

2024

Duration:

19 min

Language(s):

English

RATING:

10 PG

In The Medallion, filmmaker Ruth Hunduma explores the Red Terror genocide that took place in Ethiopia in the 1970s. Based on frank and honest conversations with her mother, who was kidnapped in middle school by Derg militia and raised in a prison camp for years, the film recalls the terror of the past, while also highlighting the joy and warmth of her mother’s life today. Made while the recent Tigray war was being fought in Ethiopia, Hunduma’s courageous film shines a light on a tragic history that has never been given its due and is little-known outside of the country.