Edmonton documentary 'Frozen Injera' explores Eritrean refugee journeys and resilience in Canada

Two newcomers from vastly different circumstances are collaborating on a documentary called Frozen Injera to capture the joys and hardships of Edmonton's Eritrean community.

Dmitrii Eske, from Russia, and Amanuel Hagos, from Eritrea, met while Eske was working at a bank helping new arrivals get established. There Eske encountered many Eritreans and began learning words in Tigrinya. "I absolutely fell in love with the community; I absolutely fell in love with the people," Eske told Taproot.

Eske's path to Canada was unexpected. He was part of the team behind Beef, a 2019 documentary about Russian hip-hop, and in 2019 visited the Toronto International Film Festival. Someone stole his bag and passport there. When he sought replacement travel documents from the Russian government, they refused because Eske had attended rallies and meetings critical of the government. "Then COVID hit—long story short, I lived for, like, one-and-a-half years without any ID and without a work permit," Eske said. "So I started from the bottom. I worked in construction and then for a bank."

Hagos brings his own difficult history. He began his refugee journey in Ethiopia, survived a perilous crossing into Sudan, then spent 11 years in Israel before coming to Canada. His role as director of photography and co-producer reflects his commitment to the project: "I just want to explain and to share our culture with the people of Canada. We have a big community, but I don't think everyone knows my country."

One of the film's subjects is Nanu Alem, who has been in Edmonton for about four years and is a TikTok creator with 200,000 followers who watch her smile and dance to upbeat music with her family. Alem's presence signals the film's dual focus—capturing both the horrors many Eritreans have endured and their capacity for joy and community.

The journey to Canada is harrowing for many. The crossing through the Sinai Peninsula involves dangers including human trafficking, kidnapping, sexual violence, and murder. Alem herself dodged gunfire between Israeli and Egyptian forces at the border. "People are just walking in the desert for like 14 days," Eske said. "There are hyenas and border patrols—it's crazy. These people are just looking for a better life."

Eritrea, a nation of 3.8 million people on the Red Sea in East Africa, has seen approximately 660,000 of its citizens living in exile. The country is ruled by Isaias Afwerki, who took power in 1993 upon independence from Ethiopia. Human Rights Watch has documented oppression through indefinite conscripted military service, restrictions on religion, illegal detention, and other abuses. Citizens are not permitted to leave without an exit visa.

The 2021 Canadian census counted 4,580 people of Eritrean descent in the Edmonton area. Eske and Hagos have begun filming at locations including Studio A and Theatre Network's Roxy Theatre. Their tagline for Frozen Injera captures the film's spirit: "A documentary about Eritreans in Canada rebuilding their lives, weaving threads of memories, humour, and warmth to discover home in the most unexpected corner of the world."