“When you spot immigrants sleeping rough or lining up at soup kitchens,” Ghanaian Ousman Umar asks in North to Paradise, “do you ask how they ended up there? No. The truth hurts too much.” Umar beat the odds. In the 1990s, he made it from Africa to Spain alive. Dani Sancho’s strong biopic snaps viewers from their ease. It sparks despair, anger, and hope, just like Umar’s memoir it adapts.
Acts as social activism.
The message softens a bit. Yet slick North to Paradise suits crowds who want mild upset. It works well for that. It kicks off BCN Film Festival post-Malaga debut. Expect Spanish viewers on its June 26 release. Its points and style may draw more eyes.
Ousman (Victor Sey) starts in a pretty Ghana village. His mom died at birth. Locals drown such boys. Dad, the shaman, and aunt raise him. He eyes planes above and white workers from afar with pal Musa (John Amissah Borkey). At 14, curiosity pulls him to Libya for the ‘north to paradise’ trek. Oddly, family shrugs.
Script skips the trip. Four years on, Benjamin Kakraba’s Ousman coughs from Canary waves, wild-eyed. He hits Spain’s red tape, lands in migrant center. He knows just ‘born on Tuesday’ for age. Rulers say stay, not deport. He aims for Barcelona. Reality bites: streets, no jobs, one creepy offer of shelter for sex from David Climent’s loner.
Luck strikes. Ousman meets warm Montse (Emma Vilarasau). She sends him to Red Cross. She stands for folks who skipped the issue. Later, he hawks wares on blankets, slaves in raided Chinese shop. Desperate, he dials Montse.
Drama peaks. Final stretch has Umar as himself. A big twist lands smooth. It faces his four-year, 13,000-mile path over eight lands head-on.
Film shines in plain style. Big skip aside, it stays direct. Youth, greenness, endless hope let Ousman shrug horrors. His view dodges pity traps and soap. He weeps soft at night sometimes. Village flashes bring back joy.
Film jabs west’s immigrant ways sharp. It aims to build pity, not slam fakes. Kakraba nails it: real, charming, hopeful post-hell. Real Umar lives that grit.
Film looks sharp. Jungle pools, sweatshops, Sahara pop real. But real pain felt uglier, maybe. Laetitia Pansanel-Garric’s score fits calm vibe. Overplayed, though.
End stats hit: 5,500 drown yearly chasing Spain. More die in Sahara. Umar aids Ghanaians to skip it. North to Paradise backs his fight.
Production companies: Atresmedia Cine, Mundo Cero, A Contracorriente Films, Arcadia Motion Pictures, Noodles Production
International sales: Latido Films juan@latidofilms.com
Producers: Ibon Cormenzana, Jaime Ortiz de Artinano
Screenplay: Guillem Clua
Cinematography: Lluis Ferrer, Marcel Pascual
Production design: Marta Bazaco
Editing: David Gallart
Music: Laetitia Pansanel-Garric
Main cast: Ousman Umar, Benjamin Kakraba, Victor Sey, Emma Vilarasau, Jordi Bosch, Justino Mendes, John Amissah Borkey, David Climent.