Qatar's Doha Film Festival has confirmed that *The Station*, a drama centring on a women-only petrol station in war-torn Yemen, will open its second edition in November 2026. The selection comes as a deliberate statement of artistic defiance: neighbouring Saudi Arabia has cancelled its Red Sea International Film Festival scheduled for December, citing heightened regional geopolitical tensions, whereas the Doha Film Institute is proceeding with its programme as a commitment to cinema's power for dialogue and connection amid instability. The film, directed by Yemeni-Scottish filmmaker Sara Ishaq, explores themes of female resilience and sisterhood whilst addressing the humanitarian catastrophe engulfing Yemen.

Ishaq brings significant pedigree to the project: her short documentary *Karama Has No Walls* (2012) received Oscar and BAFTA nominations for its coverage of the 2011 Yemeni Revolution. *The Station* is her debut feature, which premiered at Cannes Critics' Week in May 2024 and subsequently won five awards at Venice's Final Cut 2025, including the La Biennale di Venezia Award for Best Film in Post-Production. The film follows petrol station owner Layal as she navigates her brother's military conscription and reconnects with an estranged sister. Yemen itself remains in acute crisis: the United Nations characterises the situation as one of "the world's most severe humanitarian and development crises", with a 40-million-strong population enduring ongoing civil conflict compounded by recent climate impacts including floods and drought. The production is an international co-production involving Yemeni, Jordanian, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian and Qatari partners.