The Medallion

A single piece of jewellery holds the story of generations. Ruth was barely a teenager when her mother passed down her Medallion, etched with the golden portrait of Nefertiti. Together, they go back to Ethiopia and explore her mother’s story as a survivor of the Red Terror genocide. Amidst a new civil war, the two revisit a country bursting with history and culture.

Director: Ruth Hunduma

Producer(s): Lily Usher, Tolu Stedford

Director of Photography: Henry Gill

Editor: Marnie Hollande

The Medallion won Best Documentary Short at San Francisco International Film Festival (2024) and Best International Film by the Student Jury at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (2024). The documentary has been acquired by The New Yorker and premiered on the 23rd October 2024. The film has shown in film festivals around the world including: DOC NYC (2023), True/False Film Fest (2024), Glasgow Short Film Festival (2024), Movies That Matter (2024), Hot Docs (2024), MIFF (2024) and AFI Fest (2024).

The film is currently shortlisted for the IDA Documentary Awards and being considered for the 97th Academy Awards and BAFTA 2025.

Press:

Telling the Story of Ethiopia's Red Terror Through A Family Artefact (Published on The New Yorker)

SSFILM Announces Golden Gate Winners at the 67th San Francisco International Film Festival

IDA Documentary Awards 2024: Shortlist Revealed