By Lady Ping • October 26, 2026 • 2 min read
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Lifeline is the kind of film that could be inspirational to any generation, young or old. In a world where it is all too easy to see people tear each other down, this film feels like a lifeline for us all. It restores faith in humanity and a belief that young people can exceed expectations and could even teach adults a lesson in resilience and standing up for what's right.
Written and directed by Ilhan Abdullahi, Lifeline follows a young Somali youth worker (Ibtisam) who has been assigned to support a 17-year-old Somali boy (Hasan) who has been wrongly accused of being involved in a crime. With racial profiling, witnesses being too afraid to come forward, and Hasan being reluctant to open up, Ibtisam (superbly acted by Muna Abdulahi) has her work cut out for her. Can she gain Hasan and the local community's trust? You'll have to watch the film to find out.
Producer Mimi Dejene says Lifeline was "made by the Somali community for the Somali community" and it definitely shows! The spirit of the Somali community shines throughout; from the great production design to the costume design, to the snacks that appear on screen, and the games that are played. Meanwhile, despite the low-budget (under $100,000) that the producers had to work with, Lifeline was wonderfully brought to life by all the cast and crew together with the help of community support, such as borrowing furniture and filming locations from the community itself.
Overall, this is an insightful and empowering story and great to see in this day and age. The situations that arise are certainly challenging for all the characters but it is an easy watch and uplifting to the very end.
Much like how the Somali community steps up to support its heroine (Ibtisam) in the film, you can also show your support of this unique and inspiring film by following its journey on Instagram and watching the film wherever you can.
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