There’s a strong sense of authorship in every scene, every decision.
The film has a striking visual literacy.
Screen Daily
a testament to love, family and resilience.
Variety Preview
Mo Harawe's poignant debut.
A film that quietly seeps into the audience's consciousness and lingers.
Variety Review
an impressively masterful first feature
Les Inrocks
visually striking and masterfully told
The Film Verdict
the first feature from Vienna-based Somali filmmaker Mo Harawe, is impressive.
Libération
a haunting offering
The Hollywood Reporter
Mo Harawe makes history this Cannes with debut feature The Village Next To Paradise.
deadline.com
an intimate look at the lives of a Somalian makeshift family.
Indiewire
a picture that Mo Harawe details with simplicity and precision
frames beautifully composed by Mostafa El Kashef.
Cineuropa
A self-confident and poetic debut whose political urgency lies in its nuances.
Der Standard
