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Along a deserted beach in the wind and waves, a father and son, Mamargade and Cigaal, enjoy a little happiness in nature
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A newly formed family faces challenges as they pursue individual goals and navigate the complexities of modern life, relying on love, trust, and resilience to guide them. These precious moments are few and far between, the countless jobs, drone strikes bringing death from above, checkpoints, and paychecks that take months to materialize, if they ever do.
Cigaal dreams of the light
In their simple, tiny home of cinder blocks and corrugated steel, the couple lives with Mamargade’s sister, Araweelo. Araweelo dreams of making and selling her own clothes.
The risks are immense
As a single woman, she can’t get a loan, so Araweelo devises a plan to circumvent the regulations. “My whole life I’ve been trying to make things better,” Mamargade says, “but I keep making mistakes.” When misfortune overshadows nearly every aspect of daily life, it’s impossible to avoid “mistakes.” Yet the humble, hard-working trio never stops trying and hoping for good fortune, their own business, time at the beach, school funding, and better days.
The Village Next to Paradise premiered at Cannes
“It’s the first film shot on location in Somalia,” said director Mo Harawe, who attended the North American premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. Harawe engaged with the Paradise community to make the film, and hired non-professional actors.
The investment in Somalia paid off in terms of the film’s authenticity
The ambient sounds of radio music, traffic, waves, and wind also added to the film’s realistic nature. “The wind is a character,” Harawe said, “so the human characters are never alone.” Culture is a character, too, and I enjoyed immersing myself in Somali songs, stories, and landscapes.