Doha Film Festival Selects Yemen's "The Station" to Open 2026 Edition
The Doha Film Festival in Qatar has selected the film "The Station" by Yemeni-Scottish director Sara Ishaq to open its 2026 edition, which will run from November 19 to 27, marking the film's premiere in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The film stars Manal Al-Maliki, Abeer Mohammed, Rashad Khaled, Saleh Al-Murshidi, Fariha Hassan, Randa Mohammed, Fatima Muthanna, Amal Ismail, and Shurooq Mohammed. It is the first narrative feature by its director, who previously directed two short documentaries. The film had its world premiere in the "Critics' Week" section of the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The film is set inside a women-only gas station in Yemen, a country ravaged by years of war. The station serves as a rare sanctuary where women gather to refuel, exchange stories, and catch their breath away from their disheartening reality.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute, said in a statement on Wednesday that the film "embodies the spirit of cinema that the Doha Film Institute believes in, a story that rarely finds its way to the public, but it transcends borders and reminds us of our shared humanity."
She added, "Sara Ishaq has succeeded in delivering a film of exceptional courage and emotion, transforming a story rooted in Yemen into a tale that speaks to audiences everywhere."
In its previous edition, the festival opened with the film "The Voice of Hind Rajab" by director Kaouther Ben Hania, which Tunisia submitted last year for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Source: Reuters
