Elshadaye Temesgen

Elshadye Temesgen is an Ethiopian director and cinematographer working across narrative film, documentary, and environmental storytelling. A graduate of MultiChoice Talent Factory and a NEWF Fellow, her work is driven by a curiosity about people, culture, landscape, and the complex relationship between communities and their environment. With a background in theatre and film, Elshadye brings a strong visual and story-driven approach to her work. Her experience includes television production, commissioned films, commercials, and environmental projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa, with a particular interest in cinematography and visual storytelling. She wrote and directed the short narrative film The Enigmatic Mark, which aired on Zee World, and co-created and developed the original animated narrative project The Legend of a Hyena Man, which was pitched at Durban FilmMart and received an award recognizing its creative potential. She is currently working on The Uncharted Ethiopia, a project exploring the diverse landscapes, cultures, and stories that exist beyond familiar representations of Ethiopia, alongside other projects. Moving between fiction and reality, Elshadye is drawn to bold, culturally grounded, and visually distinctive stories that explore human experiences, place, and our connection to the natural World