Black Lions — Roman Wolves
In his highly anticipated opus Black Lions — Roman Wolves, legendary filmmaker Haile Gerima unfolds a vast, thunderous meditation on resistance, memory and sovereignty. An Official Selection of Berlinale Forum 2026, this latest work stretches across five parts in an unparalleled cinematic experience. Returning to Ethiopia’s extraordinary victory against Italy’s second invasion in 1935, Gerima traces how a people rich in resolve met imperial violence with collective will. This epic documentary reveals a war fought not only with arms, but with culture itself. Elevating the enduring memories of men and women warriors whose courage still echoes through the land, Black Lions — Roman Wolves is an act of remembrance that insists the past is not finished speaking. The film stands as a monumental testament to African resistance, collective authorship and the unbreakable spirit of a nation that refused to kneel.
Thank you to our screening partners: Bartram’s Garden, Lightbox Film Center, and Reelblack.
Directors Spotlight
Haile Gerima
Director
Haile Gerima is an independent filmmaker, born and raised in Ethiopia. Gerima emigrated to the United States in 1967. Following in the footsteps of his father, a dramatist and playwright, Gerima is a storyteller producing films and sharing his gift in classes in Washington, DC where he lives with his family.
- Year
- 2026
- Runtime
- 623 minutes
- Country
- United States
- Language
- Amharic
- Co Producers
- Haile Gerima, Skirikiana Gerima
- Director
- Haile Gerima
- Editor
- Haile Gerima
- Screenwriter
- Haile Gerima
- Sound Design
- Merawi Gerima
- Premiere
- North America