The Cannes Film Festival reveals new cinematic voices through its Un Certain Regard selection. Mo Harawe's The Village Next to Paradise, a Somali drama, finds its place there this year.
In a remote village in the middle of the Somali desert, Mamargade, a single father, takes on a series of odd jobs to survive. His sister Araweelo has taken refuge in his home after a turbulent domestic dispute. The potential of Mamargade's son, Cigaal, is ignored because of the situation at the heart of this fragile family's intimacy. Mamargade and her sister trust each other, but wouldn't have chosen to live together if circumstances hadn't forced them to. The daily life of this family is inextricably linked to the socio-political situation of a country plagued by political unrest, natural disasters and the legacy of colonialism.
Mo Harawe, an emerging director on the Somali film scene, signs his first feature film with The Village Next to Paradise. The film stars Axmed Cali Faarax, Canab Axmed Ibraahin and Cigaal Maxamuud Saleebaan, talented actors representing the new generation of Somali cinema.
Thierry Frémaux declared:"The Village Next to Paradise is a Somali film by Mo Harawe, and here again we know thatWest Africa,sub-Saharan Africa,North Africa and the Maghreb are already very strong sub-continents for cinema, andEast Africa too. We've welcomed films from Kenya, Sudan and now Somalia, and suddenly, as in the case ofSaudi Arabia, new voices are being heard. Voices of filmmakers, it's an extraordinarily convincing film, in terms of its pre-visual parts, in terms of its narrative, in terms of the way this film tells its story, which is not an overblown New York film, no, it's a Somali film. Mo Harawe's Village Near Paradise is a first film.
Cannes Festival 2025: The latest news and information about the 78th edition
The Cannes Film Festival returns to the Croisette for its 78th edition from May 13 to 24, 2025. Click here for all the latest news and information! [Read more]
Discover the official selection for the 78th Cannes Film Festival, held on the Croisette from May 13 to 24, 2025. [Read more]
The Un Certain Regard selection for the 2025 Cannes Film Festival includes 16 films, just unveiled on April 10 by Thierry Frémaux. [Read more]
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Cannes Festival 2025: The latest news and information about the 78th edition
Cannes Festival 2025: Films in the Official Selection
Cannes Festival 2025: Films in the Un Certain Regard selection
