The Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 tragedy that killed 157 people on March 10, 2019, has had a profound impact on the world, but its ripple effects are especially poignant for the British public. One family's harrowing experience serves as a poignant reminder of the global consequences of such disasters and their long-lasting repercussions in the UK.
Don Edkins, an acclaimed filmmaker and anti-apartheid activist, lost his son Max, brother to Teboho, in the crash. For Don and his son Teboho, the pain of that day still lingers, but they have channeled their grief into a powerful short documentary called 'An Open Field'. Directed by Teboho and produced by Don, this film explores the deeply ingrained mourning traditions of the rural Orthodox Christian Tewahedo community in Ethiopia, who inhabit the area where the Boeing 737 Max jet crashed.
The community's complex process of grieving is at the heart of 'An Open Field'. For forty days after a death, they observe intense mourning, followed by annual commemorations for seven years. It was this structured approach to mourning that offered Don and Teboho a unique perspective on grief, aiding their understanding and healing. The film meticulously captures these rituals, including men singing traditional kebero drums and tsenatsel shakers, as well as the emotional outpouring of the community.
The documentary's title refers to a poignant 'living graveyard', where human remains were collected after the crash by a dedicated security guard, who now acts as guardian for the victims' memories. Through raw footage, interviews, photographs, and news clips, 'An Open Field' conveys the overwhelming emotion of grief in a deeply personal yet accessible way, speaking to anyone grappling with loss.
Meanwhile, back home in the UK, families are still waiting for justice from Boeing over the 737 Max airliner. The unresolved quest for accountability continues to haunt those affected by these tragedies, particularly the Lion Air crash in Indonesia and now the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 disaster.