Doha film festival 2026 to open with award-winning Yemeni feature 'The Station'

The Doha Film Institute (DFI) has announced that the 2026 edition of the Doha Film Festival (DFF) will kick off with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) premiere of Sara Ishaq's highly acclaimed debut feature, The Station. The film will be shown from November 19-27, 2026, in Doha.

Set inside a women-only petrol station in war-torn Yemen, The Station offers a rare sanctuary where women come together for fuel, conversation, and respite from their harsh realities. When Layal's younger brother faces compulsory enlistment, she must reconnect with her estranged sister to save him. The Station, which has won numerous accolades including five awards at Final Cut in Venice 2025, marks Sara Ishaq's feature filmmaking debut.

DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi praised The Station as a film that embodies the spirit of cinema at Doha Film Institute - stories that rarely heard, crossing borders and reminding us of our shared humanity. Sara Ishaq, the film's director, described The Station as a fragile utopia distilled from what she cherishes about Yemen. The film is a testament to the resilience, courage, and humanity of Yemen's people.

The station selection reinforces the Doha Film Festival's role as a bridge between distinctive voices from Qatar, the Arab world, and the global film community. Sara Ishaq's previous work includes the award-winning short documentaries Karama Has No Walls (2012) and The Mulberry House (2013), as well as her role in nurturing Yemen's emerging filmmaking talent through training programs and the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk.