Yemeniettes

Yemeniettes (2014) is a one-hour documentary directed by Shawn David Thompson. The film follows the course of a courageous group of female Yemeni students, who manage to produce products that are ecologically sound and financially attractive. That's the uplifting part.

The depressing part is the situation for women in Yemen. The young women are surrounded by patriarchy everywhere they turn. Given what we learn about Yemen--unemployment, discrimination against women, and men almost universally chewing Qat, the situation is grim. (Qat is a plant that reduces hunger and acts as a stimulant that produces euphoria. Everywhere you look, there are men with a huge wad of Qat inside their cheek.)

You would think that the government of Yemen would be happy to honor and encourage these young women, but that is not the way it works in Yemen. We see a problem so immense that it's hard to envision a happy ending.

The good news is that the movie won the Best Documentary Award at the High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, NY. We were able to see it on the large screen at the excellent Little Theatre. It will work well on the small screen.