Sara Ishaq’s Yemen‑set drama ‘The Station’ will open the Doha Film Festival, highlighting civil‑war impacts through a women‑only gas station story.
The Middle East premiere of Yemeni‑Scottish filmmaker Sara Ishaq’s drama “The Station” will open the revamped Doha Film Festival, which runs Nov. 19‑27 in Doha. The fictional story follows Layal, who runs a women‑only gas station that serves as a safe haven during Yemen’s civil war, and she must reconnect with her estranged sister to save her younger brother from enlistment.
Supported by the Doha Film Institute (DFI), the film launched at Cannes Critics’ Week in May. DFI said the selection continues its long‑standing commitment to nurturing regional talent and presenting rarely heard stories. DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi called the film “extraordinary courage and tenderness,” adding that opening the festival with it creates space for dialogue, connection and deeper understanding through cinema.
Ishaq described the film as an ode to the people of Yemen, portraying a fragile utopia amid turmoil. It features mostly non‑professional Yemeni actors and is produced by Screen Project (a Ta Films company) and Georges Films, with co‑production partners One Two Films, KeplerFilm, Barentsfilm, Setara Films and The Imaginarium Films. The revamped festival, evolved from the Ajyal Film Festival, now includes four competition strands: international feature, short film, Ajyal (youth‑jury) and Made in Qatar.
The available reporting does not include information on the film’s critical reception or audience response at Cannes or prior to the Doha screening.