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 byKhadar Ayderus Ahmed
Written byKhadar Ayderus Ahmed
Produced byMisha Jaari
Mark Lwoff
Risto Nikkilä
Thanassis Karathanos
Martin Hampel
Stéphane Parthenay
Robin Boespflug-Vonie
StarringOmar Abdi
Yasmin Warsame
CinematographyArttu Peltomaa
Edited bySebastian Thümler
Music byAndre Matthias
Production
companies
Bufo
Twenty Twenty Vision
Pyramide Productions
Distributed byOrange Studio
Release dates
  • July 7, 2021 (2021-07-07) (Cannes)
  • October 21, 2022 (2022-10-21) (United Kingdom)
Running time
83 minutes
CountriesFrance
Somalia
Germany
Finland
LanguageSomali

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 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

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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

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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

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References

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  1. ^ a b Kaleem Aftab, "Review: The Gravedigger's Wife". Cineuropa, July 7, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Lisa Nesselson, "‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’: Cannes Review". Screen Daily, July 7, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Marta Bałaga, "‘Finnish Cinema Is So White,’ Says ‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’ Helmer Khadar Ayderus Ahmed". Variety, September 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Steve Pond, "‘Belfast’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award". TheWrap, September 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Frater, Patrick (6 October 2021). "'The Gravedigger's Wife' Selected by Somalia's First Ever Oscar Committee". Variety. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  6. ^ Banjo, Noah (2021-10-29). "FULL LIST: Ayinla, Omo Ghetto: The Saga bag multiple nominations at AMAA 2021". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
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