December is traditionally a time to remember the many children who do not even understand what a Christmas wish list is.
In keeping with that tradition, as well as one of our own, Awareness Film Night’s Dec. 9 screening will be a benefit for an orphanage for street children in Ethiopia.
But not just any orphanage. This one is being started by a friend of Sooke’s own envoy to Africa, Eric Anderson.
Awareness Film Night has promoted Anderson’s work with children in Ethiopia at several past December film nights and this year he has brought back a film called Orphan Girl.
This docudrama is the true story of Helen Getachew Abebe, who was born in a brushwood hut in southern Ethiopia and raised in an orphanage in that country that owed as much to Dickens as to Mother Theresa. Today, after dealing with the many adversities portrayed in Orphan Girl, Helen is a strong young woman with a son who is trying to raise enough money to start a small orphanage for street kids.
Anderson is the executive producer and assistant director of the film and acts in it, although he points out the other actors and the director are veterans who did not take a dime for their work.
He will be in attendance Dec. 9 to answer questions about the film, the orphanage project and Ethiopia.
Showtime is 7 p.m. at Edward Milne Community School theatre. Admission is by donation.
All the expenses of the film night will be covered so that all donations received from moviegoers will go directly to Helen’s orphanage project.
For more information, please go online to www.awarenessfilmnight.ca.