The Burdened

In Aden (Yemen), Isra’a and Ahmed put all their efforts into offering a normal life to their three young children. When they find out that Isra’a is pregnant again, they have to make difficult decisions guided only by their family’s interest and against their community’s conservative stance.  

Middle-aged Ahmed works for local television, but finds that his salary, like those of many public workers in Yemen, has been suspended for several months. This puts serious pressures on Ahmed, his wife Isra’a and their three young children, as they must leave their flat for cheaper housing. Ahmed has been making ends meet with a second job driving the family van as a taxi. 

When Isra’a becomes pregnant again, Ahmed persuades her that abortion is the only option. Some research learns that it might not be against Islamic law to do this. But not everybody agrees – especially not public opinion. Based on a true story, The Burdened was the first Yemeni film to play in the official selection of the Berlinale.