Yemeni film “The Burdened” achieved the prestigious Gold Hugo Award at the 59th Chicago International Film Festival in the New Directors Competition category. The film, directed by Amr Gamal and shot in his hometown of Aden, tells the story of Isra’a and Ahmed, a married couple striving to cope with life in the impoverished country of Yemen.
Isra’a is pregnant, and already having three children and school expenses to manage, they grapple with the financial burden of a fourth child. They decide on an abortion, a challenging choice in a deeply conservative society. Their journey is further complicated by the constant obstacles they face, including military checkpoints, power outages, and the daily struggle to fetch water from the street to their kitchen.
“The Burdened” is Yemen’s official entry in the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards. The film made its world debut at the Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama Section, where it received the Amnesty International Film Award and the second place Audience Award.
