Præsidenten fra Nordvest (English: President from Nordvest) is a Danish documentary film directed by Lars Feldballe Petersen about Amed Farah Dualeh's attempt to bring democratic values to Somalia during its civil war.[1] The film premiered at the Danish Film Festival on 20 March 2017.[2]
| Præsidenten fra Nordvest | |
|---|---|
 Official poster for the film | |
| Directed by | Lars Feldballe Petersen |
| Starring | Ahmed Farah Dualeh |
| Narrated by | Jacob Andersen |
| Edited by | Jacob Andersen |
| Music by | Povl Kristian |
Release date |
|
Running time | 65 minutes |
| Country | Denmark |
Synopsis
editMy life has been a long journey, and I have been blessed to come to Denmark to study, it gave me the opportunity to lay the foundation and I will to return to Somalia to give something back.
— Ahmed Farah Dualeh [3]
The documentary follows Somalian-born, Ahmed Farah Dualeh, and his ambition to gain political power in the Somali region of Jubaland.[3] Dualeh's initial ambition is to become the prime minister rather than the president, as the role changes more frequently.[4] Born into a poor nomadic family and living comfortably for 47 years in Denmark where he worked as a sea captain at Aalborg Portland,[5] the 67-year-old feels compelled to re-engage with Somali politics, driven by his desire to give back to his homeland.[6] The documentary addresses the increasing challenges faced by Dualeh as he lives as a Somali immigrant in Denmark amidst the country's rise of conservatism.[7]
Supported by his wife, Zahra, he departs from his home in the Nordvest, Copenhagen with the ambition to rebuild Somalia, inspired by Danish democratic values.[8] He finds that resistance in Somalia is strong, and successes are scarce. Over time, his foundation starts to weaken, causing a growing distance from his family in Denmark. The silent struggles of his wife are documented, along with her eventual acceptance of Dualeh's choices.[7] Named by a group of Somali exiles, he is given the title of president-in-exile of Gedo, Middle Jubba, and Lower Jubba, which together form Jubaland.[9] The film explores the risks Dualeh was prepared to undertake in his goal to rebuild his homeland.[2] The documentary concludes with him abandoning his aspirations, citing a lack of understanding of the Somali political landscape.[4]
Production and release
editThe documentary was filmed over a period of three years,[3] and is based on an idea by the film's editor and narrator Jacob Andersen. Petersen was inspired by Dualeh's story and admired his desire to instil democratic Danish values in a country which was embroiled in a civil war. The film was first broadcast on Danish television on channel DR2, in a 59-minute version, on 28 December 2017.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Præsidenten fra Nordvest - CPH:DOX". web.archive.org. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Præsidenten fra Nordvest". www.dfi.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Flyttov, Mie (17 March 2017). "Ny dokumentarfilm om den danske præsident af Jubaland" [New documentary about the Danish president of Jubaland]. TV 2 Fyn (in Danish). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b Nielsen, Anders Holm (29 December 2017). "Jo, det findes: Ahmed fra Nordvest var eksil-præsident for Jubaland" [Yes, it exists: Ahmed from the North West was president-in-exile for Jubaland]. DR (in Danish). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Man har pligt til at gøre noget for andre • POV International". POV (in Danish). 18 September 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ Birk, Christian (8 December 2017). "Somalisk ekspræsident i Københavns nordvestkvarter: Verden skal kende mit navn" [Somali ex-president in Copenhagen's northwest quarter: The world must know my name]. Kristeligt Dagblad (in Danish). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Præsidenten fra Nordvest: Dokumentaren om Ahmeds årelange kamp for at nå til tops i somalisk politik forbliver uforløst". Politiken (in Danish). 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ Johansson, Susanne (28 December 2017). "Pensionisten fra København NV der blev præsident i Somalia". www.bt.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ Birk, Christian. "Somalisk ekspræsident i Københavns nordvestkvarter: Verden skal kende mit navn". Kristeligt Dagblad (in Danish). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
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