THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE

Director: Mo Harawe, Somalia/Germany/France/Austria 2024, 132 min., feature film, original language

Mamargade works as a gravedigger and lives with his son Cigaal and his divorced sister Araweelo in a Somali village. When he has to compete with large morticians, he finds himself in financial difficulties. In order to pay for his son's boarding school fees, he starts transporting weapons in camouflaged delivery vans. Meanwhile, Araweelo is looking for a way to realize her dream of owning her own tailoring business. In the midst of everyday challenges in a complex world, this small family finds its own way through love, trust and confidence.

About the director: Mo (Muhamed / Maxamed) Harawe was born in Mogadishu in 1992, has lived in Austria since 2009 and studied Visual Communication and Film at the Kunsthochschule Kassel. His most recent short film WILL MY PARENTS COME TO SEE ME (2022) tells the story of Farah, who is sentenced to death and awaits his parents' last visit in a Somali prison. His feature film debut THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE was awarded the Atlas Workshops Prize at the Festival International du Film Marrakech.