The Village Next to Paradise
قرية قرب الجنة

Fiction, director: Mo Harawe, Somalia/Austria/France/Germany, 2024, 132 min, Somali, with EN st.

> Thursday 24.4.2025 | 21:30
Sinema Transtopia | Tickets

In a remote coastal village battered by maddening winds and shifting sands, Mamargade struggles with precarious jobs to secure a better future for his son, Cigaal, a bright schoolboy full of dreams. Their small family also includes Araweelo, Mamargade’s sister, who has returned home after a divorce, determined to reclaim her independence. Each of them carries a simple dream – a steady job, a tailor shop, a proper education, all in the hope of making life a little easier. In a harsh reality marred by the constant presence of US drones, even the smallest aspirations represent a major challenge.

Mo Harawe’s approach is characterized by a focus on the micro aspects of life to comment on broader socio-political issues. By highlighting the strength and dignity of his characters, the film becomes a mirror to Somalia’s oral storytelling, capturing life’s hardships with quiet grace. 

As the first Somali feature ever selected for Cannes, The Village Next to Paradise premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival marking a landmark moment for Somali cinema.