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The Village Next to Paradise

The Village Next to Paradise

The Village Next to Paradise

Dir. Mo Harawe
133 min

Executive Producer Ahmed Farah Attending

In a windy Somali village, a newly assembled family must navigate between their different aspirations and the complex world surrounding them. Mamargade is a jack-of-all-trades in Paradise, a town in the war-torn Somali countryside. With his son, Cigaal, and sister, Araweelo, he’s trying to make ends meet in a country rife with violence and uncertainty. Mo Harawe’s debut feature was the first Somali film to be an official selection at Cannes.

Cigaal is a gifted child, clearly in need of additional schooling to help him realize his potential. Mamargade toils selflessly, taking on virtually any job–including gravedigger, a necessary gig in a land targeted by U.S. drone strikes–to see that his son’s education continues. Araweelo has her own troubles–she’s trying to start a clothing shop, but no local bank will loan money to a divorced woman, and her infertility means that her husband has his sights set elsewhere. Love, trust and resilience will power them through their life paths.

Film Details

Program: SEE ALL MSPIFF44 FILMS
Film Type: Fiction Feature
Release Year: 2024
Runtime: 133 min
Country/Region: Somalia, France, Austria, Germany
Language: Somali
Print Source: Totem
Tags: Drama, Family, Fiction Feature, Guest Attending, SWANA Stories, Women's Issues
Festival Programs: Breakthrough, Emerging Filmmaker Competition, Images of Africa

Cast/Crew

Director: Mo Harawe
Executive Producer: Nuh Musse Berjeeb, Abdimalik Yusuf, Ahmed Farah, Osman Hassan Hussein
Producer: Sabine Moser, Oliver Neumann
Cinematographer: Mostafa El Kashef
Screenwriter: Mo Harawe
Editor: Joana Scrinzi
Principal Cast: Ahmed Ali Farah, Anab Ahmed Ibrahim, Ahmed Mohamud Saleban