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| The Gravedigger's Wife: Somali love story wins Africa's top film prize at Fespaco | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Gravedigger's Wife is a rare Somali-language feature film | The Gravedigger's Wife is a rare Somali-language feature film |
| A Somali film exploring what people will do for love has won the grand prize at the prestigious Pan-African film festival in Burkina Faso. | A Somali film exploring what people will do for love has won the grand prize at the prestigious Pan-African film festival in Burkina Faso. |
| The Gravedigger's Wife, written and directed by Finish-Somali director Khadar Ahmed, beat off competition at Fespaco from 16 other movies. | The Gravedigger's Wife, written and directed by Finish-Somali director Khadar Ahmed, beat off competition at Fespaco from 16 other movies. |
| It focuses on Guled, whose job it is to wait outside hospital to bury the dead, and what he does to save his sick wife. | It focuses on Guled, whose job it is to wait outside hospital to bury the dead, and what he does to save his sick wife. |
| The head of the prize jury called it a courageous film, Reuters reports. | The head of the prize jury called it a courageous film, Reuters reports. |
| "It is a beautiful film that tells a story with humanity," Mauritanian film director Abderrahmane Sissako is quoted as saying. | "It is a beautiful film that tells a story with humanity," Mauritanian film director Abderrahmane Sissako is quoted as saying. |
| "I'm in awe. I'm speechless. Words can not express my gratitude and appreciation for this type of love from the continent," Ahmed wrote on Instagram. | "I'm in awe. I'm speechless. Words can not express my gratitude and appreciation for this type of love from the continent," Ahmed wrote on Instagram. |
| A rare feature-length film in Somali, The Gravedigger's Wife is also Somalia's first entry in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars. | A rare feature-length film in Somali, The Gravedigger's Wife is also Somalia's first entry in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars. |
| Set in Djibouti, it details the struggles faced by Guled, played by Omar Abdi, when he learns he has to raise funds to pay for his wife's treatment. | Set in Djibouti, it details the struggles faced by Guled, played by Omar Abdi, when he learns he has to raise funds to pay for his wife's treatment. |
| Nasra, played by Yasmin Warsame, is dying of kidney failure. | Nasra, played by Yasmin Warsame, is dying of kidney failure. |
| Ironically, as a gravedigger, Guled waits for the deaths of others in order to make the money which could mean his wife survives. | Ironically, as a gravedigger, Guled waits for the deaths of others in order to make the money which could mean his wife survives. |
| Ahmed wanted to "tell this story with dignity, tenderness and compassion - all the qualities I've been raised with", the director told the Guardian newspaper. | Ahmed wanted to "tell this story with dignity, tenderness and compassion - all the qualities I've been raised with", the director told the Guardian newspaper. |
| He was born in Somalia but moved to Finland as a teenager. | He was born in Somalia but moved to Finland as a teenager. |
| His film was 10 years in the making. Ahmed wrote it a decade ago, but was determined to direct it himself and so had to learn how to be a director, the Guardian reports. | His film was 10 years in the making. Ahmed wrote it a decade ago, but was determined to direct it himself and so had to learn how to be a director, the Guardian reports. |
| As well as winning the prestigious award, known as the Golden Stallion of Yennenga, he also received $36,000 (£26,000) in prize money. | As well as winning the prestigious award, known as the Golden Stallion of Yennenga, he also received $36,000 (£26,000) in prize money. |
| The Silver Stallion went to Haitian director Gessica Geneus for her film Freda. And the Bronze Stallion went to the Tunisian director Leyla Bouzid for Tale of Love and Desire. | The Silver Stallion went to Haitian director Gessica Geneus for her film Freda. And the Bronze Stallion went to the Tunisian director Leyla Bouzid for Tale of Love and Desire. |
| The prizes were handed out at Fespaco's closing ceremony in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou. | The prizes were handed out at Fespaco's closing ceremony in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou. |
| It was the 27th edition of the week-long biennial event, the continent's biggest film festival that celebrates films largely produced in Africa by Africans. | It was the 27th edition of the week-long biennial event, the continent's biggest film festival that celebrates films largely produced in Africa by Africans. |
| Warning: Third party content may contain adverts | Warning: Third party content may contain adverts |