The award-winning THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE to hit French cinemas April 9th

release date April 08 2025

Mo Harawe’s THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE is set to make its French debut in Paris on April 9th at Cinéma l'Écran de Saint-Denis and Le Figuier Blanc.

Already a standout on the international film festival circuit, the film recently won two prestigious awards at the Diagonale Austrian Film Festival: Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography, the latter of which MAD Crew Celebrity’s mesmerizing Egyptian DOP Mostafa El Kashef.

THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE takes viewers to the idyllic setting of a Somali village, as a recently reunited family must navigate between their dreams and the complexities of societal expectations. We are treated to the village's charming heart, immersed in the lives of the residents as they pursue their hopes against the rolling tides.

It's impossible not to highlight that THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE holds a historic achievement as the first Somali film ever selected for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Featured in the official selection of Cannes’ 77th edition, the film garnered nominations for both the coveted Golden Camera and Un Certain Regard awards.

Since its Cannes debut, the film has won five major awards, including the Golden Hugo for New Directors at the Chicago International Film Festival, Vienna Film Award at the Viennale, and Best Actress for Anab Ahmed Ibrahim at the Sarajevo Film Festival. It also earned an honorable mention at the Munich Film Festival and received the Spirit of the Festival award at the Cork International Film Festival. Further solidifying its global recognition, the film was also chosen for the Toronto International Film Festival's Centerpiece Program, joining a prestigious selection of over 40 films from 41 countries.

Written and directed by Mo Harawe, THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE marks his feature directorial debut, offering a powerful portrayal of Somali life. The film stars Ahmed Ali Farah, Ahmed Mahmoud Suleiman, and Anab Ahmed Ibrahim. The film was also edited by Joana Scrinzi, who won Best Film Editing at the Austrian Film Awards for her work on the multi-award-winning GREAT FREEDOM, with Noor Abdulkadir handling production design.

THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE is an international co-production involving Maanmaal ACC (Somalia), Freibeuter Film (Austria), Kazak Productions (France), and Niko Film (Germany). International sales are handled by Totem Films, with distribution managed by Jour2Fête. MAD Solutions oversees the film’s distribution and sales rights in the MENA region.

Mo Harawe, a graduate of the Berlinale Talents program, is known for several acclaimed short films, including LIFE IN THE HORN OF AFRICA and WILL MY PARENTS COME AND SEE ME?, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and won the Grand Prix at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.