Over 35 years, Mr. Gerima has made 11 films, including four documentaries and seven dramas. Born in Ethiopia, Mr. Gerima is perhaps best known as the writer, producer and director of the acclaimed 1993 film Sankofa. What inspires Mr. Gerima is a tireless devotion to the art of independent cinema and the vision of a uniquely innovative cinematic movement that stresses a symbiotic relationship between African Diaspora artists and the larger community.