The Burdened

The Burdened is a 2023 drama film based on a true story. It is the second film directed by the Yemeni filmmaker Amr Gamal who co-wrote the script with Mazen Reaat. The film premiered in the Panorama section of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, winning the Audience Award (second place) and the Amnesty Award.
With this participation, it became the first Yemeni film ever to be officially selected for screening at the Berlinale.
It received widespread critical acclaim, and then it was screened at a number of international film festivals such as the Sydney International Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, Beijing International Film Festival, Valencia International Film Festival, Taipei International Film Festival, and Durban International Film Festival.
The film was selected for Yemen's official submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.
Plot
The movie depicts the real story of a young Yemeni couple, Ahmed and Isra'a, and their three children in Yemen, Aden, 2019.
Both parents lost their jobs after the 2015 civil war and suffered from the economic crisis in Yemen.
The movie starts with Isra’a finding out about her pregnancy, which is shocking news to the parents as they opt to abort in a society that condemns the act both culturally and religiously.
The parents can't find medical assistance as several doctors turn them down, and they avoid the traditional way since Isra’a is anemic, which can pose a threat to her life if she does so.
Ahmed asks Isra’a to seek the help of her close friend, Dr. Muna. The parents meet with Muna, who refuses to help out and warns Isra’about committing the forbidden.
As they reach a dead end, Ahmed manages to get a traditional midwife who can perform the abortion at home. Muna finds out and stops the action at the right moment.
Muna is finally convinced under pressure and decides to perform the surgery herself when she realizes that Isra’a would do it at any cost.
After the operation, Muna ignores all of Isra’a's attempts to contact her. Isra’a feels remorse for both Mona and the abortion, but Ahmed convinces her that they must adapt and move on for the sake of their children.
The film ends with a new morning in Aden, and the family is on the way to the children's school. On the faces of the parents, there are features mixed between relief and fear of the upcoming burden.
Cast
Khaled Hamdan as Ahmed
Abeer Mohammed as Isra'a
Samah Alamrani as Muna
Islam Saleem as Anwar
Roaa Al-Hamshari as Nouran
Omar Elyas as Nawar
Production
In 2021, Director Amr Gamal started shooting his second feature film, The Burdened, which was shot entirely in Aden City with a joint Yemeni and foreign crew. Due to the complex political situation in Yemen, filming continued for 70 days. Filming began on August 24, 2021, and ended on November 10, 2021. During filming, the cast and crew were stuck in a hotel in Aden for five days due to armed confrontations surrounding the hotel.
The Burdened is a co-production between Yemen, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia with the participation of artists and technicians from Yemen, Sudan, Egypt, Lebanon, India, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and the Czech Republic.
The pre-production and production of the film were funded by Yemeni businessmen and the Yemeni government. As a result of the great success of the director's first film, 10 Days Before the Wedding, local businessmen, the government, and the Southern Transitional Council were interested in supporting his new film.
Later the film received post-production funding from the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Malmo Arab Film Festival, and the Red Sea International Film Festival.
Release
On 18 February 2023, The Burdened became the first Yemeni film to be screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, and then it was screened at a number of international film festivals such as Sydney International Film Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, Beijing International Film Festival, Valencia International Film Festival, Taipei International Film Festival, and Durban International Film Festival. The film was released commercially in Taiwan theaters on August 11, 2023.
Reception
The Burdened has received widespread critical acclaim from both film critics and audiences. The film won several awards at several international film festivals. Jonathan Romney of Screen International said, "What’s striking is how extremely spare and to the point Gamal’s storytelling style is: there’s zero fat on the bones of this story, giving the film a taut directness". Jay Weissberg of The Film Verdict said, "a rigorously controlled, moving evocation of a family exhausted by the difficulties of keeping it all together".
Awards and nominations
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! scope="row 1" | 2023
| Berlin International Film Festival
| Amnesty Award
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 2" | 2023
| Berlin International Film Festival
| Panorama Audience Award
| The Burdened
| Second Place
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! scope="row 3" | 2023
| Valencia International Film Festival
| Best Film
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 4" | 2023
| Valencia International Film Festival
| Jury Prize (Best Director)
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 5" | 2023
| Valencia International Film Festival
| Jury Prize (Best Writing)
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 6" | 2023
| Durban International Film Festival
| Best Film
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 7" | 2023
| Durban International Film Festival
| Best Writing
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 8" | 2023
| Yerevan International Film Festival
| Best Asian Film
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 9" | 2023
| Taipei Film Festival
| Best Film (Grand Prize)
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 10" | 2023
| Taipei Film Festival
| Best Film (Special Jury Prize)
| The Burdened
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! scope="row 11" | 2023
| The Septimius Awards
| Best Asian Actor
| The Burdened
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See also
10 Days Before the Wedding
List of submissions to the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
List of Yemeni submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
References
External links
The Burdened at Rotten Tomatoes
The Burdened at filmaffinity
2023 films
Yemeni drama films
2023 drama films
2020s Arabic-language films
Films about abortion