Yemeni Drama ‘The Station’ to Open Doha Film Festival 2026
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The Station, by Yemeni-Scottish filmmaker Sara Ishaq, will open the 2026 Doha Film Festival on November 19, marking the film’s Middle East and North Africa premiere. The festival will run in Doha through November 27.
Set in Yemen, the film centres on a women-only petrol station that has become a place for women to find fuel, conversation and temporary respite from the pressures of war. The story follows Layal, who runs the station and faces a personal crisis when her younger brother is threatened with enlistment.
Determined to protect him, Layal reconnects with her estranged sister. Through the family’s struggle, the film explores the lives of Yemeni women and the impact of war through an intimate, human-centred story rather than the battlefield itself.
The Doha screening follows the film’s world premiere in competition at Cannes Critics’ Week in 2026. The Station is Ishaq’s first narrative feature. She co-wrote the screenplay with Nadia Eliewat, and the film runs for 112 minutes.
Ishaq has described the film as an ode to the people of Yemen and their dignity and strength after years of war. Doha Film Institute CEO and festival director Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said the film reflects the kind of locally rooted storytelling that can cross borders and connect with audiences internationally.
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Tahani Elghazaly5098 Posts
