Arab distribution is handled by MAD Solutions, while international sales are handled by Films Boutique.
Amr Gamal’s Yemeni film The Burdened (Al Murhaqoon) kicked off its international tour with a world premiere at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival’s (Berlinale) Panorama Section on February 20 in the presence of its cast and crew.
The first Yemeni film to play in the official selection of the Berlinale – The Burdened had a full house screening, with public dignitaries, A-list celebrities, critics, and media figures from foreign media outlets flocking to see it.
Before that, the film held a screening for media accreditation on Saturday, February 18, in which international press outlets expressed their admiration for the film.
The Burdened will have four more screenings for the public during the festival, which is running from February 16 to 26.
The Burdened is based on a true story set in Aden, Yemen. The film follows Ahmed, Isra’a, and their three children after they both lose their jobs as a result of an economic crisis.
The film is directed by Amr Gamal, who shares screenwriting credits with Mazen Refaat. The film stars Khaled Hamdan, Abeer Mohammed, Samah Alamrani, and Awsam Abdulrahman.
It also brings together Yemen, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia in a landmark co-production that was first brought to international attention at the 2022 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it earned the Works in Progress Post-Production Development Award in the festival’s industry sidebar, Eastern Promises. MAD Solutions is managing the film’s distribution in the Arab world, while Films Boutique is managing international sales.
The Burdened is co-produced by Mohsen Alkhalifi, Mohammed Alomda, and Amjad Abu Alala.
The project brings together Yemen, Sudan and Saudi Arabia in a landmark co-production.
