Narrative time in Afan Oromoo films: A transmedial analysis of Eelaa and Imimmaan

The production of films in Afan Oromoo is a recent phenomenon and it is now at its growing stage. Compared to films written in other languages like Amharic, the study of this new genre calls for the attention of researchers. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to analyze how narrative time such as frequency, order and duration was manifested in two Afan Oromoo films, Eelaa and Imimmaan. The researchers selected these films for they are pioneer works that deploy better narrative techniques from among Afan Oromoo Films. To meet the study's objectives, the researchers gathered data from the two films by watching them repeatedly. This method allowed them to find and choose important scenes as sample data for analysis. These scenes were transcribed from the audio-visual medium into written text and translated into English. The data were coded thematically and put in three categories based on the research questions for suitability of analysis. Then, data analysis was made using qualitative descriptive approach. The study revealed that the duration of ‘Eelaa’ was presented in an anisochronic technique. And the order of the narration was presented through interrupted sequences of flashbacks and flash forwards. Moreover, the frequency of the story was offered using repetition and singulative techniques. Furthermore, ‘Imimmaan’ was also narrated anachronistically and unchronologically. It employed singulative and repetitive frequency. Uses of these techniques suggest that authors were conscious and aware of the idea of narrative times when they wrote their films. The findings reveal that the components of post-classical transmedial narrative time were effectively installed in the films that clearly unfold the technical and artistic skills of the filmmakers. Thus, this study contributes to film and narrative studies by demonstrating how Afan Oromoo films strategically use the elements of narrative time, such as duration, order and frequency, to create stories that are deeply embedded in local culture and carefully crafted in their form. It also shows how these films connect local traditions of storytelling with transmedial narrative practices and provides new insights into the role of time structures in articulating social realities and generating new ideas about African cinema.