Tallgrass Film Festival to feature documentary by KMUW's Aileen LeBlanc Tallgrass Film Festival to feature documentary by KMUW's Aileen LeBlanc

"Take Us Home," a documentary directed by KMUW News Director Aileen LeBlanc, will be shown twice during the Tallgrass Film Festival this weekend at 12:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at the Wichita Public Library, and at 2:45 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum. There is an admission charge. "Take Us Home," was the documentary winner at the Hollywood Black Film Festival last week.

Background for "Take Us Home"

Fekadu and his family of eight have been waiting in Gondar for 10 years. They are hoping to among those who are chosen to go to Israel but, though they are of Jewish heritage, they had been practicing Christianity since their grandparents converted many years ago.

Do they fit the criteria as to who is Jewish and deserving of acceptance at home in the state of Israel? A ruling by the chief rabbinate declaring "Once a Jew, always a Jew," has finally opened the door to the Falash Mura (Jews who had converted to Christianity.)

Fekadu left a relatively comfortable life in his rural village to move his family to Gondar to wait for the trip. He longs for a reunion with his siblings already in Israel. The life of a Jew in Ethiopia is not an easy one. Fekadu's mom and remaining brothers, sisters and their families have finally gotten the go-ahead. But Fekadu, Enguday, his wife, and their six children must stay behind to wait even longer. Something is wrong.