Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Denkinesh Argaw. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Denkinesh , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

It all started with a drive to create something meaningful for the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities—a place where our stories could be shared and preserved. Though I don’t have a formal background in film or TV, I’ve spent the last decade working to empower and elevate Ethiopian and Eritrean creatives, mainly through my publication, 2591Worldwide. Over the years, 2591 has been a platform to showcase creatives through articles, interviews, and events, like our Hollywood is Habesha series, which included panels dedicated to the film and TV industry. This gave us a space to discuss the unique experiences and challenges our communities face in entertainment.

In one of these sessions, I realized there was a real gap—a need for a dedicated platform to showcase our films, stories, and heritage. That day, I announced I’d be creating a streaming platform to fill this void. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I knew it was needed, and I believed in the importance of the mission. The support from our community at that moment was overwhelming, which gave me the confidence to move forward.

From there, I dove deep into research. I connected with people in film and TV who had years of experience and were eager to help bring this vision to life. With their mentorship and guidance, I was able to set up a board of advisors and assemble a passionate team. We started by creating a campaign video to introduce the platform, which helped bring in even more support and interest.

This September, we hosted our first KITFO Film Festival, and it was an incredible experience. The festival brought together a diverse crowd and helped us connect with the international community, as well as with people back in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It’s been a grassroots journey, and every step has been driven by the love and dedication of our community. We’re building on that momentum now, and as we approach our official launch in 2025, I feel grateful for all the support that has brought us to this point.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story! My name is Denkinesh Argaw, and I am the Founder and CEO of KITFO TV. My journey into this industry has been deeply personal and driven by a lifelong passion for storytelling, community, and cultural preservation. Over the past decade, I’ve worked extensively within the Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora space through platforms like HabeshaLA, 2951Worldwide, Motherland Sounds, and Hollywood is Habesha. These experiences gave me a front-row seat to the incredible wealth of talent and stories emerging from our communities, as well as the challenges creators face in accessing global audiences.

KITFO TV was born out of a desire to bridge that gap. We are a streaming platform dedicated to showcasing Ethiopian and Eritrean cinema and stories from the diaspora. Our services go beyond just streaming—we aim to be a cultural hub, fostering connections between creators and audiences worldwide. We also solve practical challenges for filmmakers by providing a platform for their work to reach new markets, especially in the diaspora. What sets us apart is our singular focus on Ethiopian and Eritrean narratives, paired with a commitment to elevating our stories through quality content and global accessibility.

One of the things I’m most proud of is the KITFO Film Festival, which started in Los Angeles and is now expanding to Ethiopia in 2025. The festival has been an incredible way to celebrate and spotlight the talent within our community while building partnerships with organizations like the Habesha Networks, Habesha Film Association, Habesha Actors, Cushy Collective, Wax&Gold, American Cinemateque and others. It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we come together to support and amplify our voices.

For anyone discovering KITFO TV for the first time, I want them to know that our work is deeply rooted in love for our culture and a belief in its global relevance. We’re not just building a platform—we’re building a movement that ensures Ethiopian and Eritrean stories are seen, valued, and preserved for generations to come.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe my reputation within the market was built on three key principles: authenticity, community focus, and consistent delivery.

Authenticity has always been at the core of everything I do. My work stems from a genuine love for Ethiopian and Eritrean culture and a deep desire to share its richness with the world. People recognize when your intentions are real, and that trust has been foundational in building my reputation.

Community focus has also been critical. Over the years, I’ve actively engaged with the Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora through platforms like HabeshaLA, 2591Worldwide, Motherland Sounds, and other cultural initiatives. By creating spaces where our community can connect, celebrate, and collaborate, I’ve built a strong network of relationships based on mutual respect and shared vision.

I’d also say consistent delivery has set me apart. Whether it’s through organizing events, launching the KITFO Film Festival, or developing KITFO TV, I’ve committed to delivering quality experiences that resonate with audiences. Following through on promises and maintaining a high standard of excellence has earned the trust of creators, collaborators, and viewers alike.

These three elements—authenticity, community focus, and consistency—are what I believe have helped me build my reputation. It’s about staying true to my mission while continuously showing up for the community I serve.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is that you don’t have to do everything yourself to ensure success. For a long time, I believed that in order to execute my vision fully, I had to have my hands in every detail, make every decision, and oversee every aspect personally. I thought that was the only way to maintain the quality and authenticity I envisioned for KITFO TV and the other projects I’ve worked on.

The backstory lies in my early experiences building platforms like 2591Worldwide and organizing cultural events. Those projects were deeply personal to me, and because they often started as small, community-focused initiatives, I wore many hats: organizer, marketer, producer, and everything in between. This hands-on approach worked for a while, but as my projects grew in scale—especially with KITFO TV—I quickly realized it wasn’t sustainable. Worse, it sometimes limited growth because I wasn’t giving others the space to contribute their own expertise and creativity.

Unlearning this meant learning to trust my team and delegate effectively. Building KITFO TV has taught me the power of collaboration. Surrounding myself with talented people such as Selam Kassa who handles content acquisition and operations, Dureti Edema who handles marketing and social media, Aida Mattias who handles PR and partnerships, Salem Daniel and Mahelet Gezachew who have been instrumental with programming and collaborations and many others, who share my vision but bring their own skills and perspectives has been transformative. Now, instead of trying to do it all, I focus on leadership and the bigger picture, empowering the team to take ownership of their roles. This shift not only reduced burnout but also resulted in better outcomes because a strong team brings more to the table than any individual ever could.

The lesson? Letting go of control doesn’t mean letting go of quality—it means creating space for something even better.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kitfo.tv
• Instagram: @kitfo.tv
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/kitfo-tv
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KITFOTV

Image Credits

Adrian Javon