When film director Mo Harawe mentioned his Somali roots, he observed certain stereotypes shaping people’s views of the nation, a peculiar quirk he’d picked up on.
Talking to Middle East Eye, his regular run-ins with these clichés fired up the inspiration for what would become a groundbreaking Somali film making waves at the Cannes Film Festival come May 2024.
Harawe says, “Crafting the screenplay felt instinctual, mapping out diverse characters drawn from Somalia’s everyday life.”
As Cannes stands pivotal in the cinematic world, the inclusion of Harawe’s film, *The Village Next to Paradise*, signifies a remarkable achievement, rallying a chorus of praise.
With the film globe-trotting to festivals across four distinct continents, it recently debuted in the UK at the BFI London Film Festival this October—an inaugural Somali narrative here, despite Britain’s hefty Somali diaspora.
Though Somalia is just venturing into the global film arena, its portrayal in Western cinema has often left lasting impressions, some not without controversy.
In Ridley Scott’s *Black Hawk Down* (2001), Somalia is presented as a chaotic war zone dominated by villains depicted by British actors, and the film was controversially shot entirely in Morocco.
Allegations of glossing over American military actions sparked criticism and boycotts from Somali advocacy groups, highlighting the absence of the Somali language in the film.
Producers remained untroubled; the 2021 South Korean flick, *Escape from Mogadishu*, similarly avoided Somali cast and locales, opting for Morocco once more.
In recent times, a niche in “Somali pirate movies” has developed, sparked by Danish festival darling *A Hijacking* (2012) and the Oscar-nominated *Captain Phillips* (2013) starring the legendary Tom Hanks.
“I don’t really watch those genres anymore,” confesses Harawe, who chose rural Somalia for his film’s setting, featuring non-professional actors.
“Contrary tales often ignore voices from within, a tendency not exclusive to Somalia but is a widespread tendency where Africa is depicted from Western—and now Eastern—viewpoints.”
“Within Somalia, such films don’t capture daily concerns. Their impact hits diaspora minds who quickly quip, ‘Oh, the pirates!’ when they learn of my Somali background,” he adds.
*The Village Next to Paradise* begins with a clip from Britain’s Channel 4 News highlighting an American missile strike on Somalia, emphasizing media portrayals and their realities.
“The aim was true-to-life depiction beyond mere spectacle seen on Western screens, humanizing those truly impacted,” notes Harawe.
Although not laden with action or war, *The Village Next to Paradise* unfolds as a reflective story of resilience and unconventional family bonds, set with conflict subtly lingering.
Despite the ongoing civil war since 1991, it candidly touches on daily life in a nation shaped by such chaotic backdrops.
Mamargade (Ahmed Ali Farah), the main character, embodies hope and endurance, eking out a living as a gravedigger amidst continual turmoil.
“These characters are a patchwork of folks from my life,” says Harawe, drawing on his Somali upbringing until he moved to Austria at age eighteen.
As a kid absorbing films, language barriers didn’t stop his cinema consumption, yet film creation wasn’t on his radar until Austria.
Reflecting on his film journey, he shares, “Expression found me through films when words failed in German. Visual storytelling connected, a global tongue.”
Navigating cinema’s tokenism is tricky for a film blazing a trail for Somalia, potentially becoming a poster child for international festivals.
“That’s a constant tightrope,” Harawe acknowledges. “Somalia exemplifies a situation faced by African cinema, judged by an ‘African film’ lens.”
He affirms, “In crafting narratives, they refuse to be boxed into stereotypes or token gestures, standing by authentic storytelling.”
For Harawe, the genuine presentation of Somalia on screens supersedes these industry pressures.
“A Somali girl at the New Zealand International Film Festival expressed delight in understanding Somali on screen, sans subtitles,” he recalls, capturing the unique appreciation of native language visibility onscreen.
The audience’s varied responses within the Somali diaspora have also amazed him.
“Some haven’t returned to Somalia for decades due to conflict, finding a glimpse of home through cinema,” he says.
The film surprises youth with better comprehension of parental narratives while countering victim narratives imposed by Western views, showcasing Somalia’s inherent beauty.
*The Village Next to Paradise*, a narrative of hope and fortitude, mirrors its pioneering tale against adversity. “There’s always hope,” Harawe states.
“For three decades, life in the absence of systemic stability prevails, with Somalis ever resilient in survival.”
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
