Whispers of a Burning Scent

new film type fiction Production Country Austria, Germany, Somalia production year 2026 runtime 28'17 colour Color
screening format DCP aspect ratio 1.78:1 (16:9) sound format 5.1 Audiomix original-language Somali subtitles English
screening format Media File (ProRes, mp4, mov) aspect ratio 1.78:1 (16:9) sound format Stereo original-language Somali subtitles English

On the day of a decisive court hearing and an important wedding performance, a quiet wedding musician finds his private life exposed to public scrutiny. Accused of exploiting his marriage, he moves between the courtroom, city streets and the stage, carrying the weight of the judgment, loyalty, and an unspoken guilt. Forced to make a restrained yet irreversible decision, the film observes a man whose inner truth remains elusive, caught between devotion, dignity, and loss.

Closed Captions English
Contact: Square Eyes, Wouter Jansen
https://squareeyesfilm.com +43 660 9805377
director Mo Harawe Production Mo Harawe Script Mo Harawe DOP Mostafa El Kashef Sound Design Jakob Mäse Editing Alexander von Piechwoski
Festivals
2026 Go Short International Short Film Festival, Nijmegen, Netherlands
2026 Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg, Germany
2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands
2026 Curtas Vila do Conde - International Film Festival, Portugal
2026 BlackStar Film Festival, Philadelphia, USA
2026 Melbourne International Film Festival, Australia
2026 San Sebastian Festival, Spain
Production
  • Mo Harawe
Sales
  • Square Eyes
  • Wouter Jansen
  • https://www.squareeyesfilm.com
Distribution
  • Square Eyes
  • Wouter Jansen
  • https://www.squareeyesfilm.com

Mo Harawe

Born in Mogadishu, Mo Harawe discovered his passion for cinema while attending a school of arts in Somalia. Since 2009 he has lived in Austria. He is currently studying visual communication and filmmaking. His short films have been screened and awarded at international film festivals.

Filmography
2012 Wait a minute
2016 One last moment
2018 The story of the polar bear that went to Africa
2019 1947
2020 Life on the Horn
2022 Will my parents come to see me
2026 Whispers of a Burning Scent