Mo Harawe’s "The Village Next to Paradise" Selected as Part of TIFF Centrepiece Programme

Mo Harawe’s Somali feature "The Village Next to Paradise" was selected for the 49th Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) — running from September 5-15 — Centerpiece Program, joining a lineup that features over 40 titles from filmmakers representing 41 countries.

The TIFF Centerpiece Program honors and celebrates global cinematic achievements, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a dynamic array of contemporary films.

"The Village Next to Paradise" enjoyed widespread popularity and packed screenings at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it held its world premiere at the festival's Un Certain Regard in the presence of its cast and crew.

The film also recently enjoyed a successful screening at the Munich International Film Festival, where it walked home with an Honorable Mention for the CineCoPro Award.

"The Village Next to Paradise" — the first Somali film to grace the hallowed screens of Cannes — stars Ahmed Ali Farah, Anab Ahmed Ibrahim, and Ahmed Mohamud Saleban.

Within the film's windswept landscapes of a Somali village emerges a newly assembled family's tale; one in which they must navigate between diverse dreams amidst society's complex weave. Viewers are treated to the village's charming heart, immersed in the lives of the residents as they pursue their hopes against the rolling tides.

Directed and written by Mo Harawe, "The Village Next to Paradise" is edited by Joana Scrinzi and lensed by Mostafa El Kashef, who captivated Cannes’ audiences last year with his sensational short film "I Promise You Paradise", which won the festival's Critics' Week Rail d'Or for Best Short Film — making history as the first Egyptian film to win this award — and the Valbonne Audience Award.

The film is also edited by Joana Scrinzi, who received the Best Film Editing prize from the Austrian Film Award for her multi-award-winning film "Great Freedom", with Nuur Abdulkadir serving as production designer.

"The Village Next to Paradise" is an international co-production that includes FreibeuterFilm (Austria), Kazak Productions (France), Niko Film (Germany), and Maanmaal ACC (Somalia).

As for the film’s sales and distribution, Totem Films handles international sales and Jour2Fête is responsible for international distribution. MAD Solutions’ sales arm MAD Distribution is in charge of the film’s distribution and sales rights in the MENA region.

Born in Mogadishu, Mo Harawe is a Berlinale Talents alumni who won a prestigious scholarship from the Austrian Federal Ministry for the Arts in 2019 and has been studying for a master’s degree in Visual Communication at the Art University in Kassel since 2020.

His filmography includes several compelling short films. Among them are "Life On The Horn", which received a Special Mention at the Locarno Film Festival and Best Short Film award at the Carthage Film Festival, and "Will My Parents Come to See Me", which celebrated its world premiere at Berlinale Shorts and won the Grand Prix at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.