Born in 1987 in Aba Shawl, Asmara, Yohannes Fitwi has been actively working as a journalist, lyricist, book author, movie writer, and director for around a decade now. With a big dream to reflect the neighborhood he grew up in, Yohannes has produced around ten short, long, and feature films, 15 songs, and two books.
Please tell us about your journey to your career.
I went to Sawa to complete my 12th grade and take my military training with the 18th round. After completing my training, I joined the College of Social Sciences, taking a four-year Journalism and Mass Communication course. I graduated with distinction and started working as a journalist. My journey as a journalist in the TV department of the Ministry of Information went on for a couple of years until I was transferred to the information Division in the Ministry of Defense. My time in the latter gave me a chance to experience the undeniable and unforgettable heroism of the people of Eritrea. This was probably the most extensive and memorable experience of my life.
Let’s dive into your journey as an artist.
My initial step into the art industry was through a book I wrote. In 2015, I wrote a book of 5 short stories as an eclogue named “Gual Shawl.” It was a small book that I introduced myself to the public with. And it was a way to get out of my comfort zone and take a step toward my unquestionable passion for art. My goal with the book was to create a hero that expressed the beauty of the streets I grew up in. My neighborhood was small, with narrow streets but big visions. So, I tried to reflect on my childhood neighborhood and community in my book.
I deferred writing books for some time in order to focus more on writing songs, poems, and screenplays. So far, I have made around 10 short and feature length films and around 15 song lyrics. After a pause for a few years, I recently published my second novel called “Zteret’e Hlna”. This novel was published earlier this year.
What about your work as a song critique?
The critique that I do is meant to help us all grow better and have an open interaction with the public. I have done that for songs in the national newspaper for a long time. I am a fan of constructive criticism, as it makes us better. Some artists are open and give feedback, but most don’t accept it. So, my advice to my fellow artists is for us to be more open to other people’s or critiques’ opinions and have an open mind to give back-and-forth ideas and angles. It is a means that can be used to make our artistic works stronger and better.
Is art a passion for you?
It is. Growing up in my neighborhood, there were a lot of people who excelled in art. It was a community that included many influential artists. Some fire ignited within me as I started to grow conscious. Putting the great author Beyene Haile in the picture, I started reading more and knowing more. Generally speaking, I am self-taught.
What do you try to reflect through your artistic works?
My works have different angles and ideas. My main goal is to reflect a strong female, a calm, united, and strong society, and a culture that communicates before arguing. So, my movies have different content and themes that focus more on the brighter and more elegant side of our society. We consume what we see and hear, and so I try to teach and create awareness as much as possible through the conflicts that might arise in any community. Thus, every movie I made has content that tries to teach a sense of discipline and responsibility. That’s the footprint that I attempt to leave.
How do you think artists, including yourself, are progressing in our country?
I believe we are diverting from the root nature of movie-making. We focus more on the screenplay and cinematography, which is modernized now, instead of focusing more on the content and message. Our stories are becoming weaker. We have great film makers such as Efrem Kahsay who can give us training that can change our way of thinking. There are also many movies with solid themes made during the golden times of our art industry that we can use as references. By doing so, we can set our unique color and start valuing what we do.
You have been multitasking all these years, what is the secret to your success?
I don’t believe in the excuse of lack of time. In my opinion, the common excuse that most people make these days is that they need more time to multitask. I believe that whatever one can dream can be achieved. So, I try to avoid all excuses and focus on what I want to achieve. The secret to a successful career is to take the initial step guided by discipline and consistency. There are, of course, challenges that come my way. There was a time that I had to steal my children’s time to finish the work that I had started. But no matter what, discipline beats the obstacles that come our way.
What’s your long-term goal?
Evolving in the art industry is my main goal. My journey as an author is to reach a level where I can reflect the genuine image of our society and especially embrace my childhood neighborhood through a fictional novel. In my lyrics, I want to reach a level of fullness in expressing my perspectives and ideas. I present my naked self with full genuineness through my songs, and I hope it gets me somewhere in the world of art. And last but not least, I embrace the worth and value of every role that our society plays. It’s just a means to send out Eritrean people’s unity and loving nature to the rest of the world. I am striving to make our legendary artists proud.
Anything else you’d like to add…
An artist who doesn’t respect his society is a failure. I would love to advise young artists to appreciate their culture and create respectful artistic works.
Thank you for your time. We wish you all the best!
