Nebiat Assefa at her desk at Documenting Africa Film Production.
Nebiat Assefa (’18) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker who has used the skills she developed during her years at UC Berkeley Journalism to tell stories about people and issues from across her native Africa. Originally from Ethiopia, she came to the J-School following graduation from Addis Ababa University and a stint at the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation. “What brought me to UC Berkeley,” she says, was knowing that “I needed to push myself further to expand my skills and learn how to tell impactful regional and global stories. … I found Berkeley’s amazing documentary program and I was so fortunate to join.” Michael Gray (’78) had an email conversation with Nebiat about her work and her time in Berkeley.
What is your most treasured memory from your time at the J-School?
One of my most treasured memories from my time at the J-School is the incredible sense of community and accessibility that I found there. Coming from an educational background where professors often felt distant, it was incredibly liberating to be in an environment where faculty are so approachable and genuinely invested in our growth.
But most of all I really enjoyed the time I spent in the production lab. We attended classes with professors that I really admire, pitched concepts, refined them, and inspired each other by seeing one another’s work progress. The feedback from both my classmates and the brilliant professors was great, which made the entire experience not just educational but constructive and transformative.
Overall, my time at the J-School was a period of immense growth and inspiration, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have studied at one of the world’s leading journalism schools.
Is there a particular place, on campus or off, that you remember fondly from your time in Berkeley?
One of the places I really liked in my time at Berkeley is International House, or I-House. I lived there for two years, and it was just this amazing place where people came from all over the world to live. The program office used to organize different events and we were able to celebrate so many different cultures and share meals, and we were just connected on a really global level. I made a bunch of good friends from around the world, and I’m still in touch with many of them today.
And the courtyard of North Gate Hall at the J-School is also one of my favorite places. After a hectic week or a stressful class, sitting out there just had this peaceful feeling, especially in the afternoon. Both of those spots definitely hold a special place in my heart.
Where do you live and work today? What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
After I graduated and did an internship at the Investigative Reporting Program at Berkeley and Telling Pictures in San Francisco, I headed back to Ethiopia for some time. Then I moved to Kigali, Rwanda, where I started my own production company called Documenting Africa Film Production. I’m really passionate about telling African stories, and over the last few years, I’ve had the chance to work on projects in places like Madagascar, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Burundi, and currently, Kenya. For me, it’s incredibly rewarding to dive into narratives that really highlight the history, culture, and socioeconomic layers of African communities. Besides specializing in environmental documentaries, I have been learning a great deal about trauma-informed reporting and documenting in a post-conflict affected setting.
In my free time, I love being outdoors. Walking, hiking and cycling are some of my favorite ways to unwind, and I always enjoy just spending time in nature whenever I can. And of course, spending time with friends is always great.
Nebiat Assefa speaks with a farmer in Adi Millen, Tigray Ethiopia, who lost everything during the Tigray War. In January 2024, there was a famine in the area, and no food aid was available.
What do you find most rewarding about your work with Documenting Africa?
One of the most rewarding parts of my work is having the editorial freedom to tell the stories that truly matter to me. While I devote a lot of my work to environmental documentaries, I also like shining a light on underreported issues, especially those that don’t get enough international attention. For example, the ability to document stories from my home region in Tigray, Ethiopia, a place deeply affected by war, has been incredibly meaningful. Without that freedom, I wouldn’t be able to pursue these important projects.
Right now, I’m working on stories ranging from the experiences of Burundian refugee dramatists in Rwanda to the challenges of maternal health and fistula in Tigray. Having that editorial independence means I can give a voice to those who are often overlooked, making sure I can tell these stories with the care and depth they deserve.
Nebiat Assefa is pictured during the production of a story on Tea Farming in Rwanda.
What advice would you give current J-school students? What’s the best advice you ever received?
I would tell current students this: The relationships you build with your classmates are way more than just connections, they are your future creative family. These bonds can lead you to some of the most meaningful and rewarding work you will do. For me, the friends I made at J-School have become lifelong collaborators. Like Olivia Rempel. We produced our final project at the J-School together; since then we have collaborated on several projects. So invest in those relationships, because they’re absolutely important.
As for the best advice I ever got, it was to really focus on building a strong network with people. Back then, I didn’t fully understand how important it was, but at J-School they emphasized it a lot and offered several networking sessions. Now I know that those networks are everything: They open doors and keep you connected long after you graduate.
Poster for Nebiat Assefa and Olivia Rempel’s (‘18) thesis documentary “The Blue Devil” about an invasive plant spreading across Ethiopia’s largest lake.
In Burundi, Nebiat Assefa and her crew film a tour guide at Gishora Drum Sanctuary for a story about the country’s drumming culture.
Nebiat Assefa’s documentary “Reclaim: Finding the Heart of the Circular Economy” was nominated for awards at several international film festivals. Her earlier film, “The Blue Devil,” won the Knight Award for Best Reporting in Science and Environment. She can be reached at nebiatassefa@gmail.com or at www.linkedin.com/in/nebiat-melles.