THE STATION (AL MAHATTAH) Discovery

THE STATION (AL MAHATTAH)

North American Premiere

In war-torn Yemen, Layal runs an unlikely sanctuary: a women-only petrol station that doubles as a café and social club where the rules are clear — no men, no weapons, no politics. Behind its walls, women trade goods, share news, primp and find a semblance of normalcy while conflict rages beyond the gates. But when Layal’s 12-year-old brother, Laith, is deemed old enough to enlist, the refuge she has fought to protect suddenly feels dangerously fragile. With only hours to save him, and grappling with a desperate shortage of fuel, Layal is forced to reconnect with her estranged sister for help, while confronting the family wounds they have long suppressed. Featuring an impressive cast of mostly non-professionals, Sara Ishaq’s assured debut feature is a poignant story of women holding their world and one another together when everything around them is coming apart. –Mimi Brody

Sara Ishaq is a Yemeni-Scottish filmmaker. Her documentaries KARAMA HAS NO WALLS and THE MULBERRY HOUSE received international recognition. THE STATION is her first fiction feature, presented at Cannes’ L’Atelier and the winner of five awards at Final Cut in Venice 2025. She also supports filmmakers at risk. 

MEMBERS & PASSHOLDERS

Screenings

October 25, 7:30 p.m.

Chinese 2

Details

Country: Jordan

Year: 2026

Director: Sara Ishaq

Screenwriters: Sara Ishaq, Nadia Eliewat

Producer: Nadia Eliewat

Director of Photography: Amine Berrada

Editor: Romain Namura

Production Designer: Nasser Zoubi

Costume Designer: Zeina Soufan

Music: Tessa Rose Jackson, Darius Timmer

Cast/Featuring: Abeer Mohammed, Amal Ismail, Manal Al-Mulaiki

Running Time (minutes): 112

Language: Arabic

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

AFI FEST
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.