SummaryEthiopian legend has it that khat, a stimulant leaf, was found by Sufi Imams in search of eternity. Inspired by this myth, Faya Dayi is a spiritual journey into the highlands of Harar immersed in the rituals of khat, a leaf that Sufi Muslims chewed for religious meditations – and Ethiopia’s most lucrative cash crop today. Through the prism of the... Read More
Directed By:Jessica Beshir
Written By:Jessica Beshir
Faya Dayi
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
81
User score
Generally Favorable
6.4
My Score
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Metascore
Universal Acclaim
92% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Sep 17, 2021
90
In eschewing directness of intent for the artful massaging of space, sound and rhythm, Beshir’s film — a very personal project for the Mexican Ethiopian director, which she shot over 10 years — stakes a richer claim to our sense of the place and the effect of its most lucrative crop.
Apr 30, 2021
90
Jessica Beshir’s hypnotic, immersive and very beautiful documentary marks an impressive feature debut.
Apr 30, 2021
85
Leaving a traditional narrative structure in the dust, Beshir uses breathtaking cinematography to bring you into the Horn of Africa. The movie is moving poetry about the struggles in khat fields and Ethiopia itself.
Jun 23, 2022
80
There is an entirely straightforward way of making a docudrama about this subject, yet Beshir’s bold approach leaves much more of a lasting memory.
Apr 30, 2021
80
Faya Dayi is predominantly a mood piece that seeks to evoke the leaf’s own perception-altering properties.
Apr 30, 2021
75
Faya Dayi is a film that invites the mind and soul with its visual grandeur, and keeps the viewer engaged with a tension and mystery that seems to be lurking beneath its surface. It’s familiar yet foreign — a world one must at once surrender to, yet be careful to not completely lose oneself in.
Jun 20, 2022
60
When the wisps of khat smoke clear away, it is perhaps not easy to decide exactly what is left behind, or to decide if khat is a cultural practice to be celebrated or rejected: but there are some marvellous images and moods in this misty, impressionistic study.
User score
Generally Favorable
80% Positive
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
20% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Dec 11, 2022
8
An insightful and very artistic view into the khat chewing in Ethiopia. This unconventional documentary feels like narrative fiction most of the time, which sets it apart from similar exercises. But beware, because this will require the best mood and moment to appreciate it fully.
Aug 17, 2022
8
It's so visually beautiful that at first I had a hard time believing that what I was watching was a documentary. Yes it is slow, and it lacks more exposure, but this journey feels profound and needs to be appreciated differently. It's a documentary yes, but it's more than just the surface, and that's what makes it stand out and that's why I liked it so much.
Production Company:
- Doha Film Institute
- Flies Collective
- Ford Foundation - Just Films
- Merkhana Films
- Neon Heart Productions
- The Jerome Foundation
- The Open Society Foundation
- XTR
Release Date:Sep 3, 2021
Duration:2 h
Website:
Awards
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 5 Nominations
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
International Documentary Association
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
