What might a village next to paradise be like? Would it resemble heaven, or is it a place abandoned by God while creating heaven? Unlike many African films that explore conflicts between traditional society, individuals, and families, The Village Next to Paradise presents a character who must adapt to a distorted, modern landscape. With few job opportunities, unresolved financial difficulties, a vanished teacher, and the school closing, along with the looming threat of terrorism that has reached the village and people dying from drone attacks, the film questions life in the face of unforeseeable changes that threaten the future. It maintains a calm, understated tone throughout, mirroring its stoic protagonist. Though it may seem as dry as the dust of a wasteland, this very dryness stirs the hardest of hearts. Rising director Mo Harawe creates “facial expression of the year” through fleeting final smile of the protagonist. (LEE Yong Cheol)