Will My Parents Come to See Me

An experienced Somali policewoman once again accompanies a young inmate through the procedures of the Somali justice system. (production note)


Somalia. A policewoman sits in her parked car. After a while, she gets out, puts on her service cap, and enters the prison. There, decisive hours have dawned for young Farah. Organizational machinery starts up around him. Farah is examined by a doctor, instructed by the bailiff, and looked after by an imam. Farah is waiting for his parents to visit.  
“How are you?” is the question everyone asks him that day. Each time, “Good” is his concise answer. Only when the policewoman takes Farah out of town the next morning does the unspeakable become a painful reality.                                                                                                                                              

Will My Parents Come to See Me tells what such an everyday life does to people. Their emotional world is characterized by insurmountable heaviness, in which every movement becomes an act of strength. Only the bare essentials are said. Even the camera can barely approach. Often it stops in front of the prison bars or has to look over a wall. Outside the wind rushes by and a band can be heard. In Mo Harawe’s film there is no good or bad, no right or wrong. There is only life that everyone clings to. (Dominique Gromes)

Orig. Title
Will My Parents Come to See Me
Year
2022
Countries
Austria, Germany, Somalia
Duration
28 min
Director
Mo Harawe
Category
Short fiction
Orig. Language
somali
Subtitles
English, french, German
Credits
Director
Mo Harawe
Script
Mo Harawe
Cinematography
Steven Samy
Sound
Mohamed Abdinur Isse
Editing
Alexander von Piechowski
Actor/Actress
Xaliimo Cali Xasan, Shucayb Abdirahman Cabdi, Geenyada Madaw, Mohamed Hersi, Maxamed Axmed Maxamed, Faysal Colaad Muxumed, Guuleed Xasan Saleebaan
Executive Producer
Mo Harawe, Alexander von Piechowski, Nuux Muuse Birjeeb, Ahmed Farah
Supported by
Bundesministerium für Kunst, Kultur, öffentlicher Dienst und Sport / Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport, Wien Kultur
Available Formats
DCP 2K flat (Distribution Copy)
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Sound Format
5.1 surround
Frame Rate
24 fps
Color Format
colour
Festivals (Selection)
1
European Film Awards
Deutscher Kurzfilmpreis (Best German Short Fiction Film 2022)
2022
Berlin - Intern. Filmfestspiele Berlinale - Shorts
Leuven - Short Film Festival
St Andrews Film Festival (The Jorge Sanjines Award for Best Dramaturgy)
Ouagadougou - Ouaga Cotê Court (Best Script)
Kassel Dokumentarfilm & Videofestival (Golden Herkules)
Köln - Kurzfilmfestival (1st Jury Award)
Tusla - Arab Film Festival
Dubai - Arab Film Week
Cairo Short Film Festival
Ljubljana - FEKK International Short Film Festival
Berlin – Human Rights Film Festival Berlin
Ljubljana LIFFE– Int. Film Festival
Klosterneuburg - Shortynale
Palic - Festival of European Film
Motovun - Film Festival
Kerala - Int Doc and Short Film Festival
Cork - IndieCork Film Festival
Bristol - Encounters Short Film Festival
Split - Festival of New Film and Video
Brno B16 Short Film Festival (Jury Main Award: Best Film)
Winterthur - Kurzfilmtage
St. Paul - Miznas Arab Film Festival (Best Short Film)
Montréal - Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (Grand Prix Short Film)
Pontenure/ Piacenza - Concorto Film Festival
Sundsvall - Filmfest
Prizren - DokuFest, International Documentary and Short Film Festival
Motovun - Film Festival
Palermo - SiciliAmbiente Festival
Palic - Festival of European Film
London - SAFAR Film Festival
Lüchow - Wendland shorts
Jerusalem - Jerusalem Arab Film Festival JAFF
Graz - Diagonale, Festival des österreichischen Films
Lissabon - Indielisboa Int. Film and Videofestival
European Film Awards (Nominée at Vienna Shorts)
Wien - VIS Vienna Shorts (Austrian Shortfilm Award)
Milano - FESCAAAL (Best African Short Film)
Nijmegen - Go Short Film Festival
Glasgow Short Film Festival
2023
Berlin - ALFILM Arabisches Filmfestival
Istanbul - İFSAK Short Film Festival
Tampere - Film Festival
Imedghassen (ALG) - International Film Festival
London Short Film Festival (Best International Short Award)
Stuttgart - Filmwinter, Expanded Media Festival
Clermont-Ferrand - Festival de Court Metrage (International Jury Grand Prix)
Dresden - Filmfest
Saarbrücken - Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis
Ouagadougou - FESPACO Pan-African Film & TV Festival
Trondheim - Minimalen Short Film Festival
Praha Short Film Festival
Regensburg - Kurzfilmwoche
Tarifa/Tanger - Festival de Cine Africano FCAT
Montreal - Vues d'Afrique
Athen - Independent Film Festival
Paris - FIFE Festival international du film d'éducation
Ancona - Corto Dorico Human Rights Film Fest
Aguilar de Campoo - FICA Festival Int de Cortometrajes (Best Editing (Alexander von Piechowski))
Val de Bièvre - Festival Ciné Regards Africains
London - UK film festival (Best Short Film)
Mieres - MUFF Under 60' Filmfestival (Best Film, Best Director, Best Editing)
Apt - Festival des Cinémas d'Afrique du pays d'Apt (FCAPA)
Brasilia - Lobo Fest Festival Internacional de Filmes
Bern - Shnit Short Film Festival
St.Petersburg - Message of Man Festival (Best Short Film Award)
Forli - Sedicicorto Int Film Festival
La Ciotat - Le Cri du Court Short Film Festival
Tirana - Human Rights Film Festival
Helsinki - Love & Anarchy Int Film Festival
Bueu - FICBUEU International Short Film Festival
Odense - Int. Film Festival
Lausanne - Festival cinémas d'Afrique
Paris - Les Nuits en Or - French Academy of Cinema (Les César)
Split - Festival mediteranskog filma
Ulaanbaatar - Golden Gar International Film Festival (Best international narrative short film award)
Dakhla - Festival International du Film
Viana - Encontros de Viana Festival
Hadramout/Aden/Taiz Karama Yemen HRFF (BARRAN Award for Best Short Fiction)
Medelin - CINEMANCIA
Banská Bystrica (SK) - Azyl Shorts Festival
Lausanne - Festival cinémas d'Afrique
Odense - Int. Film Festival
Kosice - Art Film Festival
Grimstadt - Kortfilmfestivalen
Innsbruck - International Film Festival
Krakow - International Film Festival
Hammamet - Master international Film Festival (MIFF)
Istanbul - Akbank Short Film Festival (Best International Short)
2024
Trinidad & Tobago Africa Film Festival
Sainte Foy-les-Lyon - Festival Caravane des Cinémas d'Afrique
Islamabad - European Film Festival