The Gravedigger's Wife
The Gravedigger's Wife is a drama film, directed by Khadar Ayderus Ahmed and released in 2021.[1] The film is a coproduction of companies from France, Somalia, Germany and Finland.[2]
| The Gravedigger's Wife | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Khadar Ayderus Ahmed |
| Written by | Khadar Ayderus Ahmed |
| Produced by | Misha Jaari Mark Lwoff Risto Nikkilä Thanassis Karathanos Martin Hampel Stéphane Parthenay Robin Boespflug-Vonie |
| Starring | Omar Abdi Yasmin Warsame |
| Cinematography | Arttu Peltomaa |
| Edited by | Sebastian Thümler |
| Music by | Andre Matthias |
Production companies | Bufo Twenty Twenty Vision Pyramide Productions |
| Distributed by | Orange Studio |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Countries | France Somalia Germany Finland |
| Language | Somali |
Ahmed's feature debut, the film was inspired by a death in his own family approximately a decade earlier.[3] It was shot in 2019, although release was delayed until 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruptions of film distribution in 2020.[3]
The film premiered in the International Critics' Week program at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.[1] It was subsequently screened at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was one of the winners of the Amplify Voices Award.[4] It was selected as the Somali entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, the first time that Somalia had submitted a film.[5]
Plot
Guled (Omar Abdi), a gravedigger in Djibouti, is struggling to raise money to pay for surgery when his wife Nasra (Yasmin Warsame) becomes gravely ill with kidney disease.[2]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Africa Movie Academy Awards | Best Film | The Gravedigger’s Wife | Won | [6] |
| Best Director | Khadar Ahmed | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor in a Leading Role | Omar Abdi | Won | |||
| Achievement in Makeup | The Gravedigger’s Wife | Won | |||
| Achievement in Cinematography | Nominated | ||||
| Achievement in Production Design | Won | ||||
| Best Soundtrack | Nominated | ||||
| Best Sound | Nominated | ||||
| Best First Feature Film by a Director | The Gravedigger’s Wife/Khadar Ahmed | Nominated |
See also
References
- Kaleem Aftab, "Review: The Gravedigger's Wife". Cineuropa, July 7, 2021.
- Lisa Nesselson, "‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’: Cannes Review". Screen Daily, July 7, 2021.
- Marta Balaga, "‘Finnish Cinema Is So White,’ Says ‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’ Helmer Khadar Ayderus Ahmed". Variety, September 15, 2021.
- Steve Pond, "‘Belfast’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award". TheWrap, September 18, 2021.
- Frater, Patrick (6 October 2021). "'The Gravedigger's Wife' Selected by Somalia's First Ever Oscar Committee". Variety. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- Banjo, Noah (2021-10-29). "FULL LIST: Ayinla, Omo Ghetto: The Saga bag multiple nominations at AMAA 2021". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2021-10-30.