The Somali film “The Gravitators ‘Wife” (The Grave Dickers’ Wife) won the Grand Prix at the African Film Festival in Burkina Faso.

The moving play revolves around digging a grave as he struggles to raise money for his wife’s surgery, winning 20 million CFA francs ($ 35,714) and a golden horse statue.

Somalia’s first official entry into the Best International Film category at the 2021 Oscars was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in July.

The film’s writer and Finnish-Somali director, Qadir Idros Ahmed, was not in Okadoku to receive his award, saying the film was based on events in his family.

“This is a brave film from a country that doesn’t make many films, so when we have a film like this, we should promote it,” said feature film director Abdurrahmane Chicago, who reviewed 17 films for the jury. The match, he told Reuters.

“This is a beautiful film that tells a human story. It’s a love story, too.”

The African Film and Television Festival in Ouagadougou is the largest semi-annual gathering of African cinema, attracting film and television workers internationally and taking Africa to the capital of Burkina Faso, both inside and outside the continent.

This 27th edition has been postponed for almost 8 months from October 16-23, 2021 due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the security challenges facing the country.