In a small café in southern Sana’a, young Yemenis have been organizing weekly film screenings every Wednesday for months, in an effort to revive the seventh art in a country mired in political turmoil and war for over a year and a half.
Inside a modest hall at “Coffee Trader” café (which seats around 50 people), young men and women gather to watch a weekly film projected onto a white screen—part of the “Sawt Cinema” initiative, run by the nonprofit cultural organization Sawt Foundation for Development, founded in 2010 and headed by poet Samah Al-
Shaghadri. The organization maintains a cultural, nonpartisan stance.
This week’s screening featured the Yemeni-produced film “The Losing Bet”, released by the Yemeni government in 2001 as part of its anti-terrorism efforts during the rise of al-Qaeda in the region. This was the first time the film was shown through the initiative, which typically screens mostly Hollywood films and occasionally Arab ones, to sustain excitement and variety.
Admission to the screenings is free, which has helped attract larger audiences. Online invitations shared prior to each screening spark engaging discussions and positive feedback, giving the organizers the confidence to adopt the slogan: “Art defeats death.” Their goal is not only to revive cinema in Yemen but also to promote the belief that art and culture—across all forms—reduce the inclination
toward violence and extremism, especially among youth caught in cycles of civil war.
The State of Cinema in Yemen
Most of Yemen’s cinemas shut down in the late 1990s and early 2000s, partly due to attacks by religious figures who accused cinema of spreading immorality. Many old cinema buildings have since been converted into marketplaces or residential buildings. Some remain as ruins—like the once-prominent Belqees Cinema in central Sana’a, now dust-covered and crumbling, with rusted windows and doors.
According to Al-Shaghadri, there are currently no official cinema halls in Yemen. The only venue screening films is a small room in a commercial center in Sana’a, but its screenings are irregular and ticket prices—around $8—are unaffordable for most Yemenis.
More Than Just Films
“Sawt Cinema” is about more than film screenings. The project hosts film critics and encourages audience discussions after each film, which has made the initiative both intellectually and socially enriching. It has just concluded its second phase.
The first phase began in early 2016 and ran until mid-March, featuring 20 screenings funded by the Dutch Prince Claus Fund, which supports cultural activities through funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Audience engagement exceeded expectations, with attendees spanning different age groups.
After the first phase ended in March 2016, community demand pushed Al-Shaghadri and her team to seek new funding. The Dutch Embassy stepped in to support the second phase, which began in July and is ongoing—though with a smaller budget
than required.
The project features a wide variety of films—from Oscar-winning dramas to comedies, sci-fi, Arab, and Indian films. The diversity of public taste poses a constant challenge in selecting films, making curatorial choices a central part of the initiative’s success.
“We feel a great responsibility when selecting films,” says Al-Shaghadri. “We want to address relevant societal issues—war, peace, rights, and freedoms—without compromising artistic quality.”
In one memorable instance, heavy rain didn’t stop eager viewers from attending a screening, arriving soaked but enthusiastic. That night affirmed for the team that their effort mattered.
“It made us realize the refined tastes of our audience, and how careful we must be in choosing not just film topics, but also
direction, performance, and screenwriting,” she added.
The Bigger Picture
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since early 2015, with government-aligned forces fighting Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and left 21 million Yemenis (about 80% of the population) in need of humanitarian aid, with over 3 million internally displaced.
In this context, Sawt Cinema offers more than entertainment—it is a cultural act of resistance, a space for hope and dialogue, and a reminder that even amid war, art still lives.
(Source: Anadolu Agency – Murad Al-Arefi, October 13, 2016
