Abdirahman Fiili: Refugee quarter to red carpet as muse for Somalia's cultural revival

Abdirahman Fiili was barely 10 when he would squat on the floor of his family home in Borama, Somalia, mesmerised by the music from his mother's cassette player.

She would hum along as she did the laundry, and though he couldn't understand all the words, something about those melodies stayed with him.

Fast-forward three decades, and the boy born in the refugee quarters of Dharwanaaje has become one of Somalia's most celebrated creatives – a producer, director, music composer, writer, and poet with a body of work that has garnered global acclaim.

His many achievements include a pivotal research role in Somalia's first-ever Oscar submission, The Grave Digger’s Wife.

Sound of resistance

"Even when I didn't understand the language, my heart did," Fiili says of those early encounters with music.

In Somalia of the 1990s, where televisions in households were not so common and radio was king, his mother's cassette collection became his first taste of art.

But in a family of twelve children, choosing art as one's calling wasn't exactly encouraged.

"When I first started singing, my entire family pushed back. They didn't see a future in it," he explains. He moved on to songwriting, but the resistance continued.

"To them, art wasn't a respectable path," Fiili tells TRT Afrika.

As the second among a dozen siblings, Fiili faced pressure to pick a career that his family considered sensible. But try as he might, he couldn't shake off the feeling that the pursuit of creativity was his life's mission.

 "Deep down, I knew it was the most beautiful thing I had ever found in my life. I believed in it so deeply, I couldn't let it go," he recounts.

His stubbornness worked. "Eventually, I convinced my family. Not just to tolerate my dream, but to respect it. Today, I carry that dream for them, for me, and for the Somali people," says Fiili.

Class jester to poet

Fiili the schoolboy was the kid who made everyone laugh with his poems and stories.

By the time he was in secondary school, his poetry had a gravitas beyond his years. He won the award for "Poet of the Year" a record four times consecutively.

At Jigjiga University, his poetry was so highly regarded that some of his works were included in the university's literature curriculum.

"In filmmaking, I was inspired by pioneers like Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, a trailblazing Somali filmmaker whose work showed me that it's possible," he says. "In poetry and music, I have been moved by the voices of countless Somali artists who spoke truth into a world that didn't always want to hear it."

Breaking new ground

After fifteen years in the business, Fiili has his fingerprints all over Somali entertainment. He has written hits like Suldaan Serar's Yarta Raadiya and Haniyeta's Ma Xiiqaa, in addition to patriotic songs like Dhulkaygaan Ku Ahay Nabad.

When Fiili graduated to making films, he found not only a broader canvas of expression but also an audience thirsting for meaningful homegrown content.

He wrote and acted in Arday, Somalia's first proper TV series, launched in 2023. He produced Barni and directed Valley of the Wolves, the first theatre production in conflict-ridden Somalia in thirty years.

These projects led to collaborations with Turkish producer-director Uluç Yemen Aslan and Somali directors Khadara Ahmed and Ahmed Farah, sharpening his vision and catapulting him to the international stage.

Platforming talent

Just as progress didn't come easy for Fiili, he feels strongly about Somali talents often not getting the encouragement they deserve.

"I have met young Somali actors who deserve so much more recognition for their passion and talent. Most of them have had no formal training, no institutional support – just raw willpower and love for the craft. I admire them. I work for them. I create for them," he tells TRT Afrika. "Even now, making films in Somalia is filled with challenges."

The problems are fundamental yet crippling. "We have no systematic funding or support structures. We have no dedicated schools for film or theatre. We don't have strong copyright protection," explains Fiili.

He hopes the Somali government's willingness to promote the film and the entertainment industry will address some of these problems.

Recognition and dreams

In 2022, Fiili was one of just ten screenwriters selected for the Doha Film Institute's "Qumra Short Program", part of an initiative that provides mentorship, networking, and hands-on development for filmmakers from Qatar and beyond.

He has also been a presenter twice at The AEAUSA Awards, one of Africa's largest entertainment events, and won the Best Actor trophy at the 2023 edition.

This year, Fiili handled music copyright support for The Village Next to the Paradise and Hooyo Macaan. He is currently producing and directing a new TV series.

So, where does Fiili aspire to go from here?

"My biggest dream?" he says. "I want to win an Academy Award and the Palme d'Or at Cannes someday, if God wills it."

To get there, he needs funding, equipment, mentorship and international marketing partnerships, "especially with distribution agencies that understand the power of story and place".

Building a legacy

From refugee camp to international festivals, Fiili represents a new wave of Somali artists who refuse to let their circumstances define their limits.

"I don't just want to make movies," he says. "I want to make a legacy. One that speaks to the pain, beauty, resilience and hope in the hearts of the Somali people."

The ten-year-old boy listening to his mother's cassette player has come a long way. And he's just getting started.