THE VILLAGE NEXT TO PARADISE

MO haraWE

austria germany france somalia 2024 133 min

In a windy Somali village, a newly assembled family must navigate between their different aspirations and the complex world surrounding them. Love, trust and resilience will power them through their life paths.

• About the film

  french title le village aux portes du paradis

  original title  قرية قرب الجنة

  directed by
  mo harawe

  screenplay
  mo harawe

  cast
  ahmed ali farah anab ahmed ibrahim ahmed mahamoud saleban

  cinematography
  mostafa el kashef

  editing
  joana scrinzi

  production companies
  freibeuterfilm kazak productions niko film maandmaaal, acc

• Festivals & Awards

  Cannes Film Festival
  2024 | Un Certain Regard — World Premiere
  Nomination — Un Certain Regard Award
  Nomination — Caméra d'Or

  Toronto International Film Festival
  2024 | Centrepiece — North American Premiere

  Munich Film Festival
  2024 | CineCoPro Competition
  CineCoPro Award — Honorable Mention

  Sarajevo Film Festival
  2024 | Competition
  Heart of Sarajevo — Best Actress — Anab Ahmed Ibrahim

  Marrakech International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Competition
  Special Jury Award

  Chicago International Film Festival
  2024 | New Directors Competition
  Gold Hugo — Best Film

  Cork International Film Festival
  2024 | Spirit of the Festival
  Best Film

  Viennale – Vienna International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection
  Vienna Film Award — Best Austrian Film

  Carthage Film Festival
  2024 | Official Competition
  Best Cinematography — Mostafa El Kashef

  Festival des Cinémas d'Afrique du pays d'Apt
  2024 | Fiction Feature Film Competition
  Youth Jury — Special Mention

  Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival
  2024 | Fresh Competition
  Special Mention

  BFI London Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  Melbourne International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection
  Nomination — Bright Horizons Award

  MAMI Mumbai Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  São Paulo International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  Busan International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  Ghent Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  Torino Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  EnergaCamerimage International Film Festival
  2024 | Contemporary World Cinema

  Hainan Island International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  Durban International Film Festival
  2024 | Official Selection

  Santa Barbara International Film Festival
  2025 | Official Selection

  Göteborg Film Festival
  2025 | International Competition
  Nomination — Dragon Award

  FESPACO – Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
  2025 | Official Competition
  Silver Stallion of Yennenga

  Luxembourg City Film Festival
  2025 | Official Competition
  Special Mention — Grand Prix
  2030 Award — Luxembourg Aid & Development

  War on Screen International Film Festival
  2025 | International Competition
  International Jury Grand Prize

  Cleveland International Film Festival
  2025 | International Narrative Competition
  Nomination — Best Feature Film

  Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
  2025 | Official Selection
  Nomination — Emerging Filmmaker Award

  Seattle International Film Festival
  2025 | New Directors Competition

  Shanghai International Film Festival
  2025 | Belt and Road Film Week
  Nomination — Audience Choice Award

  Festival de Cine Africano de Tarifa-Tánger (FCAT)
  2025 | Official Competition
  Best Feature Film
  Best Actress — Anab Ahmed Ibrahim

  Khouribga African Film Festival
  2025 | Official Competition
  Grand Prix Ousmane Sembène
  Paulin Soumanou Vieyra Prize — African Film Critics

  Diagonale – Festival of Austrian Film
  2025 | Competition
  Grand Diagonale Award — Best Feature Film
  Thomas Pluch Award — Best Screenplay
  Diagonale Award — Best Cinematography — Mostafa El Kashef
  Diagonale Award — Outstanding Production Services

  Austrian Film Awards
  2025
  Best Feature Film
  Best Director — Mo Harawe
  Best Screenplay — Mo Harawe
  Best Casting — Mohamed Mohamud Jama
  Best Cinematography — Mostafa El Kashef