The Village Next to Paradise

Drone strikes and the struggle to put food on the table don’t stop this family in a small village from having their own dreams and building a sense of togetherness. The first film from Somalia to be featured in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes.

Mamargade is trying to make ends meet. Together with his sister Araweelo and her son Cigaal, he lives in Paradise Village, a small town in the heart of Somalia. Their lives are affected by the political unrest in the country, which they each handle in very different ways. The Village Next to Paradise is a gripping and quiet family drama, and a highly promising debut from first-time director Mo Harawe.

Director

Mo Harawe (b. 1992) is a Somali filmmaker based in Austria. Throughout his career, he has made several short films that have been screened at festivals such as the Locarno Film Festival and Berlinale. The Village Next to Paradise is his first feature film.