A Tribe Called Love
directed by
Mohamed Ahmed
World Premiere
A Tribe Called Love is a Romeo and Juliet story set in the Somali community of Toronto, in the style of Scott Pilgrim vs The World mashed with Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing. Farah and Halima are from different tribes, and traditional tribal conflicts drive their relationship towards inevitable catastrophe.
Programmer's Notes
Mohamed Ahmed’s vibrant debut remixes the classic Shakespearean tale of star-crossed lovers, relocating it to Toronto’s Somali community.
Farah and Halima are two innocent young hearts whose love blossoms despite coming from rival tribes. As their relationship deepens, long-standing cultural divisions and familial expectations begin to threaten their bond, pulling them toward inevitable heartbreak. The film captures the warmth, humour, and complexity of community life, supported by a pulsing soundtrack. It reimagines Somali tribal conflicts through the lens of a fictional tribe system, creating a rich, mythical framework for this story about love and the community that shapes it.
Featuring performances from Dalmar Abuzeid (Degrassi, Pompeii), one of the 2025 Trailblazers, and Feaven Abera (Waywards, Sort Of), the cast is also supported by first-time performers drawn from local Toronto communities. Rich in character, grounded in emotional honesty, and charged with youthful energy, this film is a powerful meditation on the cost of love in a world still divided by history.
- Safia Abdigir
Cast
Dalmar Abuzeid, Feaven Abera, Omar Abdi
About the Director
Mohamed Ahmed grew up in Ottawa and studied filmmaking at Vancouver Film School before moving to Toronto’s independent film scene. He is the creator of Sheeko Sheeko, a Somali web talk show featured on Vice’s Huang’s World. He later directed the award-winning short documentary Football is our Home and is the creator of web series Ayan’s World.