Somali actress Anab Ahmed Ibrahim has won the award for Best Actress at the 30th Sarajevo Film Festiva. She earned the win for her performance in The Village Next to Paradise.
“Anab delivers a powerful and unforgettable performance while we are witnesses to her humble dream, which is having her own sewing shop in Somalia,” said jury member Sebastian Cavazza in presenting the award, “after she lost her job and her husband filed in a divorce because of her infertility.
“Without many words but only with her eyes, burning of intense truths and secrets, Anab grasps our hearts.”
Ibrahim, who wasn’t present at the awards ceremony, accepted the award via a video recording. In it, she thanked the festival, the jury, and the filmmaking team. “I am very happy to get this award,” she said.
In The Village Next to Paradise, Ibrahim plays a woman negotiating a relationship with her brother, his child, and a potential husband. She does this while holding on to a self-empowerment dream in the harsh Somalian landscape.
Latest Honour for The Village Next To Paradise
The award in Sarajevo is the latest recognition for The Village Next to Paradise. Months ago, it became the first Somali film ever screened at Cannes. Recently, it was named as one of the films eligible for a European Film Award.
Directed by Mo Harawe and featuring a cast of first-time actors, including Ahmed Ali Farah, Ahmed Mohamud Saleban, and Ibrahim herself, The Village Next To Paradise was shot in Somalia. It premiered on May 21 in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, where it was in contention for the Camera d’Or.
Harawe also penned the screenplay, while the film’s striking cinematography was created by Mostafa El Kashef. Oliver Neumann and Sabine Moser under the banner of Freibeuter Film led production, while Kazak Productions and Niko Film are credited as co-producers.
The 30th Sarajevo Film Festival concluded with the Heart of Sarajevo award ceremony on September 23. This year’s festival featured over 240 films from 70 countries. Its main jury was led by renowned director and critic Paul Schrader.
