Alumna’s Award-winning Film Addresses Women’s Rights in Ethiopia

When ICS Class of 2010 graduate Sarah Noa first came to Addis in 1997, she didn’t anticipate developing life-long connections with the Ethiopian and international communities.

Now, 12 years since leaving ICS Addis, Sarah Noa's documentary, among us women, is winning awards at film festivals worldwide. Chronicling the story of rural Ethiopian women’s access to maternity health care, Sarah Noa was inspired to change the mainstream Western narrative about Ethiopian culture and pay tribute to the women who welcomed her to their country, guided her journey to womanhood, and inspired her to remain connected to this place.

“The way the West sees Ethiopia lacks complexity in representation,” Sarah Noa said. “Giving birth is a universally understandable experience, which the audience can connect with at a personal level without being ‘the other.’ My hope is for the film to serve as a bridge between Ethiopia and international cultures.”

After coming back to Ethiopia and shooting her film, then editing for two years in Germany, among us women is on an international tour of more than 20 film festivals and has won several awards. Sarah Noa and her production team are also creating an impact campaign supporting the women and communities featured.

Despite living in Germany, Sarah Noa remains connected to the ICS community and school and still often travels to Ethiopia to visit her parents who still live here.

“Coming back to Addis always feels like coming home for me,” Sarah Noa said. “Going to ICS was a huge shift in my life and experience, because I felt connected to the place and to the people from so many nationalities. Teachers have always been so supportive of me, and they were more than just teachers for me. My relationships with people from ICS are still very active. The ICS community lives on after graduation.”

As part of her connection to the school, Sarah Noa is planning workshops and exchanges with several ICS classes and clubs. She is working on the possibility of hosting film workshops with students interested in entering the industry, as well as Q&A sessions with clubs focused on women’s rights in Ethiopia like Epads and Girl Up.

Stay tuned for more opportunities for our community to engage with Sarah Noa and her film. And keep an eye out for more inspiring stories about ICS alumni making an impact in their local and global communities.