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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. Along a deserted beach, battered by wind and waves, father and son Mamergade and Sigal enjoy some of the joys of nature. Such precious moments are few and far between amid multiple jobs, deadly drone strikes from above, roadblocks, and job payments that take months to come if they ever get done. In their simple, small house of concrete blocks and corrugated iron, the couple lives with Mamergade’s sister, Aravelo. Sigal dreams of light. Aravelo dreams of making and selling her own clothes. As an unmarried woman, she cannot get a loan, so Aravelo devises a plan to circumvent the regulations. The risks are enormous. “All my life I have tried to make things better, but I keep making mistakes.” When misfortunes grip almost every aspect of daily life, “mistakes” are inevitable. But the humble, hard-working trio never stops trying and hoping for luck, their own business, time at the beach, school funds and better days. The Village Next to Paradise premiered at Cannes. “It’s the first film to be shot on location in Somalia,” said director Mo Harawe, who attended the North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. “It’s the first film to be shot on location in Somalia,” said Harawe, who was present at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Harawe collaborated with the Paradise community to make the film and employed non-professional actors. The investment in Somalia paid off in terms of the authenticity of the film. The ambient sound of the radio, traffic, waves and wind contributed to the realistic nature of the film. “The wind is a character, so the human characters are never alone.” Culture is also a character and I enjoyed immersing myself in Somali songs, stories and landscapes.
NAME 2024 MAGNET
