For the first time in the past 30 years, Somalia, which is in a state of civil war and political chaos, has shown films. The program of the evening included two short films by a Somali director, and tickets for viewing could be bought for $ 10.
The screening took place at the National Theater of Somalia, located in the capital, Mogadishu, according to Reuters.
“This is a historic night for the Somali people, and it shows that hopes have been rekindled after so many years of trials. We now have opportunities. Somali songwriters, storytellers and actors can show their talent openly, ”said theater director Abdikadir Abdi Yusuf.
The National Theater in Mogadishu was built in 1967 and was a gift to the Somali people from then-Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Actors performed in the theater building, live concerts were held.
In 1991, the National Theater was closed, and its building was used by the military as a base. In 2012, it was opened – this was supposed to symbolize the improvement of life in the country, but just two weeks later, a suicide bomber during the performance of the musicians made an explosion, during which the building itself was badly damaged and at least ten people died.
To get to the screening of the short films, people had to go through several checkpoints, but despite the high cost of tickets and inconvenience, there was no end to those who wanted to, and the authorities promised visitors full protection from terrorist attacks.
