X
  • 2021
  • Not Rated
  • Janus Films
  • 2 h
  • 2021
  • Not Rated
  • Janus Films
  • 2 h
Faya Dayi

Summary Ethiopian legend has it that khat, a stimulant leaf, was found by Sufi Imams in search of eternity. Inspired by this myth, Faya Dayi is a spiritual journey into the highlands of Harar immersed in the rituals of khat, a leaf that Sufi Muslims chewed for religious meditations – and Ethiopia’s most lucrative cash crop today. Through the pri...

Directed By: Jessica Beshir

Written By: Jessica Beshir

  • 2021
  • Not Rated
  • Janus Films
  • 2 h
  • 2021
  • Not Rated
  • Janus Films
  • 2 h

Faya Dayi

Metascore Universal Acclaim Based on 13 Critic Reviews
81
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 5 User Ratings
7.6
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Summary Ethiopian legend has it that khat, a stimulant leaf, was found by Sufi Imams in search of eternity. Inspired by this myth, Faya Dayi is a spiritual journey into the highlands of Harar immersed in the rituals of khat, a leaf that Sufi Muslims chewed for religious meditations – and Ethiopia’s most lucrative cash crop today. Through the pri...

Directed By: Jessica Beshir

Written By: Jessica Beshir

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 13 Critic Reviews
81
92% Positive
12 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 13 Critic Reviews
81
92% Positive
12 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
90
Sep 17, 2021
In eschewing directness of intent for the artful massaging of space, sound and rhythm, Beshir’s film — a very personal project for the Mexican Ethiopian director, which she shot over 10 years — stakes a richer claim to our sense of the place and the effect of its most lucrative crop.
By Robert Abele FULL REVIEW
90
Apr 30, 2021
Jessica Beshir’s hypnotic, immersive and very beautiful documentary marks an impressive feature debut.
By Allan Hunter FULL REVIEW
85
Apr 30, 2021
Leaving a traditional narrative structure in the dust, Beshir uses breathtaking cinematography to bring you into the Horn of Africa. The movie is moving poetry about the struggles in khat fields and Ethiopia itself.
By Josiah Teal FULL REVIEW
80
Jun 23, 2022
There is an entirely straightforward way of making a docudrama about this subject, yet Beshir’s bold approach leaves much more of a lasting memory.
By Cheyenne Bunsie FULL REVIEW
80
Apr 30, 2021
Faya Dayi is predominantly a mood piece that seeks to evoke the leaf’s own perception-altering properties.
By Guy Lodge FULL REVIEW
75
Apr 30, 2021
Faya Dayi is a film that invites the mind and soul with its visual grandeur, and keeps the viewer engaged with a tension and mystery that seems to be lurking beneath its surface. It’s familiar yet foreign — a world one must at once surrender to, yet be careful to not completely lose oneself in.
By Tambay Obenson FULL REVIEW
60
Jun 20, 2022
When the wisps of khat smoke clear away, it is perhaps not easy to decide exactly what is left behind, or to decide if khat is a cultural practice to be celebrated or rejected: but there are some marvellous images and moods in this misty, impressionistic study.
By Peter Bradshaw FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 5 User Ratings
7.6
80% Positive
4 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 5 User Ratings
7.6
80% Positive
4 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company Doha Film Institute, Flies Collective, Ford Foundation - Just Films, Merkhana Films, Neon Heart Productions, The Jerome Foundation, The Open Society Foundation, XTR
Release Date Sep 3, 2021
Duration 2 h
Rating Not Rated
Genres
Website https://www.fayadayi.com/
View All Details

Awards

Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 5 Nominations
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
International Documentary Association
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations

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