Mo Harawe's The Village Next to Paradise had already made waves before its UK premiere at the London Film Festival. It made history as the first-ever Somali film to compete at Festival de Cannes in May 2024 and was met with critical acclaim. Dreams, desire, and tragedy underpin this silently powerful drama that steadily and leisurely unravels the story of Cigaal (Ahmed Mohamud Saleban), his father Mamargrade (Ahmed Ali Farah), and his aunt Araweelo (Anab Ahmed Ibrahim).
Mamargrade is bending over backwards, working multiple jobs to financially provide. His sister, Araweelo, is recently divorced and in the aftermath exploring what her new single life looks like. Both Mamargrade and Araweelo's priority is the bubbly Cigaal, whose mother died a long time ago. Cigaal is incredibly bright, but sadly his school closes due to a lack of resources, leaving the family with two choices. Let Cigaal become educationless, or enrol the sprightly tot as a pupil in a faraway, high-fee-paying boarding school in the city; a world that is worlds apart from their languid village. The family choose the latter option, and we see the lengths families will go to survive during difficult times.
Like several sibling dynamics, we see that Araweelo is silently frustrated with her brother at times. Mamargrade is reckless and makes ill-informed decisions that result in a fall from grace. Araweelo has hopes and dreams that her brother doesn't want to acknowledge, and Cigaal tries to find his feet away from his family. He has actual dreams at night that he'll share with anyone who will listen alongside the wish to further pursue his education.
Political aspects and social issues creep into the film as we see Cigaal is taught what to do if there is a drone strike, and several of the characters we meet are financially struggling. The Village Next to Paradise certainly doesn't shy away from the conflict in Somalia and how it impacts the everyday person. Mamargrade is a grave digger, amongst many other trades, but struggles to get a job due to a lack of official qualifications. We learn Araweelo's ex-husband wanted a divorce as she has fertility issues and dreams she wants to pursue, but is continuously let down by her brother and peers. There are truly devastating moments in the drama that contrast with moments of strength and hope.
Harawe's film is so different to the Somali representation we've seen on screen before. First of all, there are no pirates, but a simple narrative that follows what this specific Somali family is experiencing and their everyday life. Secondly, the way the film is shot is simply mesmerising. Everyone is well-lit, which isn't always the case for darker-skinned actors on screen. The rich warm tones within the film are visually stunning.
There's something about The Village Next to Paradise that makes it stand out against the stereotypical decrepit depictions of Africa we've seen before on screen. There are moments of ill fortune throughout the 2 hours 13 minutes runtime, but the visuals help the film get the balance right. They help to portray hard times for some of the characters but don't feed into a negative portrayal of the continent as a whole. Something that is tricky to get right, but Harawe triumphantly succeeds at. The glimmers of Somali culture conveyed help to further ground the film.
The Village Next to Paradise is a drama that pulls at your heartstrings. It's a powerful reflection of life and Harawe's style leans on silences, which at times tend to be followed by such profound dialogue that permeates and lingers in your brain. For the three main stars, this was the first time they had been on screen. You couldn't tell. The weight of their performances helps to portray a powerful story of hope and determination.
The Village Next to Paradise screened at the BFI London Film Festival 2024.
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