‘Fiqir eske Meqabir’: EBC to turn the Novel into TV Series
ADDIS ABABA – Fiqir eske Meqabir (“Love Unto Grave”) is considered one of the masterpieces of Ethiopian literature, and now the novel will make it to the small screen.
On Tuesday, Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) signed an agreement with SewMehon Film Productions to turn the late Haddis Alemayehu’s novel into a series film.
The production firm is run by Sewmehon Yismaw an emerging cinematographer known for his works including “Ewir Amora Kelabi” short film premiered at African film festival, and feature film entitled “Sewnetwa”.
The four-season television series will have 48 episodes – each having an average run time of 45 minutes.
EBC agreed to pay 863,750 Birr, including VAT, to SewMehon for the production of each episode.
The broadcaster said it owns the copyrights of the novel – which deals with love across the social class divide of feudal Ethiopia.
The 1965 tragic classic has been praised by critics for meticulously depicting the injustice in the feudal era’s land tenure system, and the hierarchies that thrived with social background behind them.
Its television adaptation, EBC said, is expected to remain loyal to the spirit of the source material.
“Agreement has been reached to produce the series without changing or distorting the book’s main storyline,” EBC said.
The broadcaster did not disclose when the tv adaptation hit the screens.
Published in 1965, the novel still retains its power partly with help of its audio recording, narrated by artist Wegayehu Negatu and serialized by Ethiopia Radio for its national listeners.
