At the peak of the uprising against the now-ousted Yemeni strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, Khadija Al Salami left her diplomatic post in Paris to film the mass participation by long-marginalised women in the revolt.
In her documentary The Scream, which was screened at the Dubai International Film Festival last week, Salami – who was forced to marry at the age of 11 – focuses on the role women played during the year-long uprising in the impoverished Arab state.
“Traditionally, a woman’s voice must not be heard, just as her hair must remain covered,” says Salami, who herself does not cover.
“I chose this title for my film because women have shouted out through their uprising and movement that they exist in Yemen’s male-dominated society. They screamed out their suffering, announcing that their revolt is not only against the government but also against all of Yemeni society, including their husbands and -fathers.”
Filming in the vast sit-in camp that sprang up outside the gates of Sanaa University, Salami followed the daily lives of women who demonstrated alongside men until Saleh finally quit under a power transfer deal signed in November last year.
Salami says she was “amazed to see these women standing up” for their rights in Yemen: “I wanted to be part of the revolt.”
In The Scream, Salami follows Rahma, a journalist, Balqis, a human-rights activist, and Huda, a poet – three women who played major roles throughout the -long uprising.
The film shows Rahma fearlessly contacting senior officials to denounce the use of prohibited weapons by security forces against protesters. Balqis, meanwhile, breaks the conservative tradition that women do not visit coffee shops and is seen sitting at a cafe, boldly discussing gender equality with the men there. And Huda is pictured climbing on to the podium at the camp – which became known as Change Square – to make fiery speeches and encourage demonstrators.
The women, who insist on being part of the uprising, refuse to put up their own tents away from those of the men and they soon begin facing problems in Yemen's ultraconservative, deeply- -tribal community. "Women took to the streets alongside men but they were beaten and harassed by the so-called revolutionaries," says Salami. "How can a man be rebelling against a regime while oppressing his -[female] partner?"
Her documentary also shows women being treated with -contempt by the companions of a prominent religious figure, as Saleh himself in his speeches criticised the mixing of the sexes among -opposition ranks.
As it nears its end, The Scream portrays the disappointment of women as they realise that the uprising has failed to improve their status within Yemeni society.
“Now women do not fear anybody. They have a voice and they will continue the struggle to achieve their rights,” says Salami. However, she concedes that it will be “a long fight”.
In Paris, Salami also filmed the prominent Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman after she won the Nobel Peace Prize for her influential role in the uprising.
Salami is already working on a new film that tells the stories of young girls who have been forced to marry older men – an ancient, traditional practice in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country that she condemns as -
"organised rape".
Salami, now 46, was a child when she was forced by her family to marry a 20-year-old man. "I felt abused. I had two choices – I could either end my own life or rebel against society," she says. "I chose the latter and got a divorce, but only after much difficulty."
She believes her salvation came through education. She won a scholarship to continue her schooling in the US; later, she became the director of the Paris-based Centre for Communication and Culture of Yemen.
In 2006, Salami published (with Charles Hoots) her book Tears of Sheba: Tales of Survival and Intrigue in Arabia. Its title, she explains, is to “remind people that women had ruled Yemen” during the country’s ancient past.
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Most wanted allegations
- Benjamin Macann, 32: involvement in cocaine smuggling gang.
- Jack Mayle, 30: sold drugs from a phone line called the Flavour Quest.
- Callum Halpin, 27: over the 2018 murder of a rival drug dealer.
- Asim Naveed, 29: accused of being the leader of a gang that imported cocaine.
- Calvin Parris, 32: accused of buying cocaine from Naveed and selling it on.
- John James Jones, 31: allegedly stabbed two people causing serious injuries.
- Callum Michael Allan, 23: alleged drug dealing and assaulting an emergency worker.
- Dean Garforth, 29: part of a crime gang that sold drugs and guns.
- Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30: accused of trafficking heroin and crack cocain.
- Mark Francis Roberts, 28: grievous bodily harm after a bungled attempt to steal a £60,000 watch.
- James ‘Jamie’ Stevenson, 56: for arson and over the seizure of a tonne of cocaine.
- Nana Oppong, 41: shot a man eight times in a suspected gangland reprisal attack.
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5