The Middle East premiere of Yemeni-Scottish filmmaker Sara Ishaq’s timely drama “The Station” will open the revamped Doha Film Festival which will run Nov. 19–27 in the Qatari capital.
The film centers on Layal, who runs a women-only gas station in Yemen which is a safe haven during the country’s civil war. “When Layal’s younger brother faces enlistment, she is forced to reconnect with her estranged sister to save him,” says the synopsis. This fictional tale based on real events looks at the impact of civil war on the country just as Yemen is on the edge of a possible return to the civil war that killed 150,000 and brought many others close to famine.
“The Station,” which is supported by the Doha Film Institute, launched positively from the Cannes Critics’ Week in May.
The film’s selection as DFF opener “Continues the DFI’s long-standing commitment to nurturing promising talent from the region and bringing their stories to audiences around the world,” the fest said in a statement.
“The Station embodies the spirit of cinema we believe in at Doha Film Institute: stories rarely heard that cross borders and remind us of our shared humanity,” said DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi – who also heads the festival – in a statement. “Sara Ishaq has created a film of extraordinary courage and tenderness, transforming a story rooted in Yemen into one that speaks to audiences everywhere,” she added. “In opening Doha Film Festival 2026 with ‘The Station,’ we are opening a space for dialogue, connection and a deeper understanding of the world through the power of film.” the DFI chief went on to note.
Sara Ishaq commented: “The world of ‘The Station’ distills what I love and cherish about Yemen into a fragile utopia, constantly overshadowed by turmoil beyond its walls. At its core, this film is about people in all their complexity, contradictions and humanity. It is an ode to the people of Yemen, who have endured years of war with dignity and strength.”
The film – which features mostly non-professional Yemeni actors – is produced by Screen Project (a Ta Films Company) and Georges Films. It is co-produced by One Two Films, KeplerFilm, Barentsfilm, Setara Films and The Imaginarium Films.
Last year’s Doha Film Festival inaugural edition opened with Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s politically charged Gaza-set drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab.”
The revamped Doha Film Festival has transformed the Doha Film Institute’s existing Ajyal Film Festival, dedicated to youth and family-friendly cinema, into a more ambitious international event for a broader audience. It has four competition strands: international feature film competition, short film competition, the Ajyal film competition (judged by the festival’s unique youth jury) and the Made in Qatar competition, dedicated to projects made in Qatar regardless of the director’s provenance.
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