Whispers of a Burning Scent

Directed by

Mo Harawe

2026 28 MIN

Synopsis

On the day of a decisive court hearing and an important wedding performance, a reserved musician finds his private life suddenly exposed to public judgment. Accused of exploiting his marriage, he moves between the courtroom, the city streets, and the stage while carrying the weight of loyalty, guilt, and unspoken loss. Forced towards a quiet but irreversible decision, he struggles to protect his dignity while the truth of his inner life remains elusive to those judging him.

Mo Harawe

Mo Harawe is a Somali-Austrian writer and director born in Mogadishu. He studied Visual Communication and Film at Kunsthochschule Kassel. His acclaimed shorts include Life on the Horn and Will My Parents Come to See Me, the latter winning the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand and receiving a European Film Award nomination. His debut feature, The Village Next to Paradise, premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2024, becoming the first Somali film selected for the festival’s official programme.

Credits

Director: Mo Harawe
Screenplay: Mo Harawe
Cinematography: Mostafa El Kashef
Editing: Alexander von Piechwoski
Sound Design: Jakob Mäse
Cast: Omar Abdi, Canab Axmed Ibraahin, Nuh Musse Berjeeb, Maxamed Axmed Maxamed, Mohamed Mire, Nuura Mohamoud Abdi, Jamad Nor Siyad, Faadumo Warsame Cilmi
Producers: Mo Harawe; Co-producers: Ahmed Farah, Nuh Musse Berjeeb (Maanmaal ACC, Lost Frame Films, Donkey Film)