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A newly formed family faces challenges as they pursue individual goals and navigate the intricacies of modern life, relying on love, trust and resilience to guide them. On a deserted beach in the wind and waves, father and son Mamargade and Cigaal enjoy a bit of bliss in nature. Such precious moments are rare between the many jobs, drone strikes that bring death from above, checkpoints and job payouts that take months to realise, if they ever happen. In their simple and tiny house made of blocks and corrugated iron, the couple lives with Mamargade’s sister Araweelo. Cigaal dreams of light. Araweelo dreams of making and selling his own clothes. As an unmarried woman, she cannot take out a loan, so Araweelo hatches a plan to circumvent the regulation. The risks are enormous. “I’ve been trying to improve things my whole life,” he says. says Mamargade, “but I keep making mistakes.” When misfortune overshadows almost every aspect of everyday life, it’s impossible to avoid “mistakes.” Yet this humble and hardworking trio never stops striving and hoping for happiness, their own business, beach time, school funding and better days. “Village Next to Paradise” was first presented at Cannes. “It’s the first film shot on location in Somalia,” said director Mo Harawe, who attended this North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Harawe enlisted the Paradise community to produce the film and employed non-professional actors. The investment in Somalia paid off in terms of the film’s authenticity. The ambient sounds of music on the radio, traffic, waves and wind also contributed to the realistic character. “Wind is a character,” said Harawe, “so the human characters are never alone.” Culture is also character and I enjoyed immersing myself in Somali songs, stories and landscapes.