Emotional reunion for film maker

Yosef Haimenot meets his mother for the first time in 20 years

A Wales-based film producer making a documentary about his native Ethiopia has returned and met his mother for the first time in two decades.

Yosef Haimanot, 30, was reunited with the mother he had not seen since age 10 when he fled his home to escape war.

But after living in the UK from age 13, he has forgotten his first language, Amharic, and could not chat with her.

He said: "I was not expecting her to be there at all. I was prepared for the worst. She was younger than I thought."

He added: "It was very hard, after almost 20 years to be in the place where I grew up and not to be able to communicate effectively."

Mr Haimenot travelled to Ethiopia to make a film about his life from the age of 10 when he lost contact with his immediate family.

Yosef Haimanot was 13 when he fled to the UK from Ethiopia

When he was 13, he landed in the UK after stowing away on a cargo ship in Djibouti.

He grew up in Newcastle before settling in Cardiff after studying the MA film course at Newport University's film school.

His father died several years ago but since becoming a father himself two years ago, he decided the time was right for him to return and find as many members of his family as he could.

He used a local photographer to take pictures for his documentary and capture the moment he met his mother again.

"It was hard to descibe the feelings I had.

"For me it was the right time to go. I have been waiting to finish my education and until I was ready."