Hi, I’m Habtamu Gebrehiwot, an Ethiopian film maker whose career has grown through telling stories with my own voice in cinema. I studied film at Addis Ababa University, where I earned my master’s degree in Film, and I’ve since built hands-on experience across television commercials, short documentaries, and music videos—working as a writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and sound designer.…

Habtamu Gebrehiwot

Hi, I’m Habtamu Gebrehiwot, an Ethiopian film maker whose career has grown through telling stories with my own voice in cinema. I studied film at Addis Ababa University, where I earned my master’s degree in Film, and I’ve since built hands-on experience across television commercials, short documentaries, and music videos—working as a writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and sound designer.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Habtamu Gebrehiwot, an Ethiopian film maker whose career has grown through telling stories with my own voice in cinema. I studied film at Addis Ababa University, where I earned my master’s degree in Film, and I’ve since built hands-on experience across television commercials, short documentaries, and music videos—working as a writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and sound designer.

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Experience Level

Expert

Language

Amharic
Fluent
Tigrinya
Fluent
English
Fluent

Work Experience

Scriptwriter, Director, Cinematographer (Short Film) / Sound Design / Editing
January 1, 2022 - Present
Developed and created the short film “The Fortunate,” handling scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and sound design. The film has official selections across 11 festivals worldwide.
Writer, Director, Producer (Short Film) at Rusty Town Films
January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2022
Wrote, directed, and produced the short film “Rendezvous,” which was screened at the European Film Festival in Addis Ababa in 2022. Took responsibility for creative direction and production to bring the story to screen.
Cinematographer, Producer (TV drama series) at Ethiopian National Television (as stated)
January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2019
Worked as a cinematographer and producer for the acclaimed drama series “Girar Kegn,” which aired on Ethiopian National Television.
Cinematographer, Editor, Sound Designer (Production roles) at Element Communication & Production
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2016
Worked as a cinematographer and in post-production roles including editing and sound design for multiple media productions between 2014 and 2016, strengthening end-to-end storytelling skills from image capture to final audio.

Education

Master’s in Film at Addis Ababa University
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2011
Film Development Program (DWAkademie Film Development Lab) at DW Akademie
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2023

Qualifications

EA Accelerate Film Production Fund
January 1, 2021 - September 23, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education