19/46
A newly formed family faces challenges in pursuing individual goals and navigating the complexities of modern life, relying on the love, trust and resilience that guide them. On a deserted beach amidst the wind and waves, father and son, Mamargade and Sigaal, enjoy a little bliss in nature. Such precious moments are few and far between amidst the many jobs, drone strikes that bring death from above, checkpoints and work payments that take months to materialize, if at all. In their simple, small house of cinder blocks and corrugated steel, the couple lives with Mamargade’s sister, Araweelo. Cigaal dreams of light. Araweelo dreams of making and selling her own clothes. As a single woman, she can’t get a loan, so Arauelo devises a plan to circumvent the regulations. The risks are enormous. “All my life I’ve tried to make things better,” says Mamargade, “but I keep making mistakes.” When unhappiness overshadows almost every aspect of daily life, it is impossible to avoid «mistakes.» Yet the humble, hardworking trio continues to try and hope for luck, their own business, time on the beach, school funding and better days. The Village Near Paradise first appeared in Cannes. «This is the first film shot on location in Somalia,» said director Mo Haraway, who attended this North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Haraway hired the Paradise community to make the film and hired non-professional actors. The investment in Somalia paid off in terms of the film’s authenticity. The ambient sound of music on the radio, traffic, waves and wind also helped create a realistic setting. «The wind is character,» Haraway said, «so the human characters are never alone.» Culture is also a character and I loved immersing myself in the Somali songs, stories and landscapes.