Family of Ethiopian Airlines ET302 Victim Turns Tragedy Into Moving Documentary on Grief

More than seven years after the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, the family of one of the victims has transformed their personal loss into a documentary exploring grief, remembrance and healing.

The short documentary, An Open Field, is directed by filmmaker Teboho Edkins and produced by his father, veteran filmmaker and anti-apartheid activist Don Edkins. The film was inspired by the death of Teboho’s brother, Max Edkins, who was among the 157 people killed when Flight ET302 crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa on 10 March 2019.

Teboho admitted that making the documentary was initially something he wanted to avoid because the tragedy remained too painful. However, Don said the idea emerged after a therapist encouraged him to use filmmaking as a way to process grief.

Rather than focusing solely on their family's loss, An Open Field examines the traditions of Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christian Tewahedo community living near the crash site. The villagers embraced the victims’ families, gathering in large numbers each year to mark the anniversary of the disaster.

The documentary highlights the community’s structured mourning traditions, including a 40-day grieving period followed by annual memorial ceremonies lasting seven years. According to Don Edkins, witnessing these rituals helped his family better understand the grieving process and offered a different perspective on healing.

Using interviews, archival footage, photographs, news reports and carefully designed soundscapes, the film presents grief as a universal human experience rather than simply recounting one family's tragedy.

One of the documentary’s most emotional moments features the security guard responsible for protecting the crash site, which Don describes as "a living graveyard." The guard recalls spending weeks collecting human remains after the crash, while forensic experts worked to identify body fragments. His role became deeply symbolic for the victims’ families, serving as a guardian of the final resting place of their loved ones.

The film also revisits the long-running campaign for accountability following the disaster.

Flight ET302 was the second fatal crash involving Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft within five months. The earlier Lion Air Flight JT610 crash in Indonesia claimed 189 lives. Investigations linked both accidents to flaws in the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which could repeatedly force the aircraft’s nose downward.

Despite settlements, apologies and financial penalties paid by Boeing, many families continue to believe that justice has not been fully achieved.

The documentary reflects differing perspectives between the filmmakers. Don approaches the story through the lens of corporate responsibility and social justice, while Teboho focuses more on the emotional journey of healing and remembrance.

The film also features an interview with Dr. Getachew Tessema, father of Flight ET302 captain Yared Getachew. He argues that Boeing unfairly shifted responsibility onto the deceased pilots instead of accepting full accountability for the aircraft's design failures.

Teboho additionally criticizes parts of the Western media's early coverage of the crash, suggesting there was prejudice in assumptions that an African airline and African pilots were likely responsible before the facts were fully understood.

Although deeply personal, the filmmakers say An Open Field is intended to resonate with audiences far beyond their own family, presenting grief as a shared human experience while preserving the memory of those who lost their lives.

Responding to the documentary, Boeing said it continues to remember the victims of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610, adding that the lessons learned from both tragedies continue to shape the company's commitment to aviation safety and product quality.