The Burdened

Arab Feature Narrative Films

The Burdened

Genre:
Drama

Year:
2023

Duration:
101 minutes

Rating:
16+

Screenplay: Amr Gamal, Mazen Refaat

Cast: Khaled Hamdan, Abeer Mohammed, Samah Alamrani, Awsam Abdulrahman

Cinematography: Mrinal Desai

Editing: Heba Othman

Production: Mohsen Alkhalifi, Amr Gamal, Amjad abu Alala, Adenium Productions, Station Films

Awards: - Second Place Audience Award - Berlin International Film Festival – Berlin, Germany – 2023 - Amnesty International Award - Durban International Film Festival - Durban, South Africa – 2023 - Jury Prize for Best Director & Best Screenplay - Valencia International Film Festival – Valencia, Spain – 2023

Début Status: Jordanian Première

Synopsis

The story follows the struggles of a married couple and their three children after both husband and wife lose their jobs because of the country’s economic crisis. After the mother discovers she is carrying a fourth child, the beleaguered parents try to get an abortion, despite their community's conservative stance, forcing the family to make tough decisions in order to survive.

Director’s biography

Amr Gamal is an independent filmmaker and theatre director from Aden city, Yemen. In 2003, Gamal received the President's Award for playwriting, and in 2005, he established the Khaleej Aden Theatre Troupe. Gamal has written and directed all of the troupe's theatre productions since. His play “Ma’k Nazel” became the first Yemeni play to be performed in Europe (Berlin) after its big success in Yemen. His first feature film, “10 Days Before the Wedding”, premiered in Aden in 2018, becoming the first film to open commercially in Yemen in three decades. The film screened for over eight months and became Yemen's official submission to the Oscars that year.