DUBAI: Yemen has selected director Amr Gamal’s film “The Burdened” as its entry for the Oscars’ international feature film award, while Tunisia is competing with Kaouther Ben Hania’s “Four Daughters.”
This marks the second time that Amr Gamal has represented Yemen at the Oscars. In 2018, his romantic comedy “10 Days Before the Wedding” was Yemen’s official entry. Gamal’s latest work, released in 2023, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, where it received acclaim and multiple awards, including the Amnesty International Award and the Panorama Audience Award.
Gamal’s film is rooted in a true story that unfolded in Aden in 2019. It revolves around the challenges faced by a couple, Isra’a and Ahmed, as they strive to lead a normal life while providing education for their three young children. The story takes a dramatic turn when Isra’a becomes pregnant, forcing them to confront difficult decisions regarding their family’s future.
On the other hand, Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s semi-documentary “Four Daughters” delves into the life of Olfa Hamrouni, whose two daughters left to join Daesh.
This film marked Ben Hania’s debut entry, and it was the sole Arab representation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, competing for the top prize.
The narrative of “Four Daughters” follows Olfa Hamrouni, who gained international attention in 2016 when she accused Tunisian authorities of failing to prevent one of her daughters from traveling to Libya to join the militant group. At that time, her other daughter had already become involved with the group.
Notably, the production of this film received support from the Red Sea Film Foundation in Saudi Arabia.
