Black Slaughter
A young Ethiopian Jew’s search for a sacrificial sheep becomes a journey through identity, faith, and belonging.
Israel, 1996. Against the backdrop of the Ethiopian blood scandal, Hailu, a 21-year-old Ethiopian Jew, is entrusted with his father’s knife and sent to perform an ancient ritual: the slaughter of a lamb. His journey leads him into the desert and across into Palestine, where fulfilling his family’s tradition becomes a confrontation with identity, violence, and the possibility of choosing his own path.
Directed by New York-based photographer and filmmaker Gigi Betito, “Black Slaughter” is a stunning, cinematic watch and an unexpected combination of profound human empathy and a powerful, dark comedic edge. Rooted in real history, it’s a deeply personal story about figuring out who you are and what actually matters when you’re caught between the rigid walls of race, religion, and nationalism.
Malaika Bova
Biography
Gigi Betito is a New York-based film director and photographer. He began his career in fashion photography before moving into filmmaking, directing the documentary “Downtown Divas” (2014) and the short film “E.W.A.” (2016). His feature debut, “Black Slaughter”, was shot on 16mm and explores race, religion, and identity within Israel’s Ethiopian Jewish community. Betito also works in music videos and commercial filmmaking.
Filmography
E.W.A (2016, short), Black Slaughter (2026)
Screenings
