The Burdened

Fiction, director: Amr Gamal, Yemen/Sudan/Saudi Arabia, 2023, 91 min., Arab. with Ger. ST

*Followed by a Film Talk with Sound Designer Rana Eid.

Isra’a (Abeer Mohammed) and Ahmed (Khaled Hamdan) live with their three children in the old port city of Aden in southern Yemen. Like many Yemeni middle-class families, they grapple with financial constraints and the precariousness exacerbated by the ongoing civil war. Their everyday lives are shaped by difficulties and hardship, having to deal with military checkpoints in the streets, frequent power cuts, and lack of infrastructure. Ahmed, who used to work for television, is now earning his money as a driver. The couple’s already delicate situation takes a dire turn when Isra’a unexpectedly becomes pregnant. Confronted by the harsh realities of their financial struggles, Isra’a and Ahmed make the difficult choice to undergo an abortion. An odyssey shaped by fear of societal taboos and religious scruples begins.

The Burdened premiered in the Panorama section of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, winning the Audience Award (second place) and the Amnesty Award. With this participation, it became the first Yemeni film ever to be officially selected for screening at the Berlinale. Since its world premiere, the film has been touring the world, collecting an impressive amount of Awards and Nominations in numerous prestigious film festivals.

In cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.