A poignant exploration of grief and community emerges in Teboho Edkins’ short film, an open field, set to make its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) on November 19, 2023. This 38-minute documentary captures the aftermath of the tragic Boeing 737 MAX crash that occurred in March 2019, which claimed the lives of all 157 passengers, including Edkins’ younger brother, Max Thabiso Edkins.
The film traces the journey of Teboho and his father, Don Edkins, as they visit the crash site in Ethiopia to navigate their personal grief. The documentary’s synopsis highlights their quest for tangible connections to their loss, revealing a community profoundly affected by the tragedy. Villagers, who have integrated mourning into their culture, invite the Edkins family into their lives, treating the victims as cherished guests. This compassionate response stands in stark contrast to the actions of Boeing, which has faced widespread criticism for its role in the disaster.
“The first time I visited the crash site, I showed the local villagers photos of my brother Max and realized that they had become the custodians of the site,”
Teboho Edkins reflects. Initially hesitant to engage with the project, he ultimately felt compelled to document his experiences, especially after gaining exclusive filming permission from Ethiopian Airlines in 2022, following extensive relationship-building by his father.
The film, produced in collaboration with Carine Chichkowsky for Survivance, combines color and black-and-white cinematography, featuring dialogue in English and Amharic. The editing is led by Anne Fabini, ensuring a cohesive narrative that interweaves personal and communal grief.
Don Edkins emphasizes the film’s intention to spotlight the injustice surrounding the crash. “Having grown up under apartheid in South Africa, I have always viewed documentary cinema as a means to address injustice and human rights,” he states. He vividly recounts his first anniversary visit to the crash site in March 2020, where he witnessed the community’s collective mourning. “Such pure humanity stood in stark contrast to Boeing’s widely criticized actions,” he adds, referring to the flawed flight-control system linked to the crash.
In revealing a clip from an open field, The Hollywood Reporter highlights an eyewitness account of the crash, further emphasizing the film’s emotional depth. At the clip’s conclusion, Teboho Edkins expresses his conflicted feelings about the film’s creation, stating, “The film I didn’t want to make.”
The documentary will be featured in the IDFA 2025 Competition for Short Documentary, highlighting its significance in both personal and wider societal contexts. As audiences prepare for its premiere, an open field promises to offer an intimate look at the intersection of grief, community, and accountability in the wake of tragedy.
