EXCLUSIVE: The Station, the debut narrative feature from Yemeni-Scottish filmmaker Sara Ishaq, has been picked up for North America by Watermelon Pictures.
Watermelon will release the film theatrically later this year.
The Station debuted in the Critics’ Week competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The official synopsis reads: Set against the backdrop of war-torn Yemen, The Station follows Layal, who runs a women-only petrol station where the rules are simple: no men, no weapons, no politics. A rare sanctuary of safety and solidarity, the station becomes a vibrant gathering place where women from every walk of life come together with humor, resilience, and hope. When Layal’s younger brother faces forced enlistment, she reunites with her estranged sister to save the one life they still can, embarking on an emotional journey that balances warmth, wit, and quiet defiance in the face of extraordinary circumstances.
Manal Al-Mulaiki, Abeer Mohammed, Rashad Khaled, and Saleh Al-Marshahi star in the film. The film was produced by Screen Project and Georges Films, and co-produced by One Two Films, KeplerFilm, Barentsfilm, Setara Films, The Imaginarium Films, and ZDF Das kleine Fernsehspiel – ARTE. Jon Kilik (Babel) serves as executive producer.
“I couldn’t think of better hands to entrust our film to in the US than Watermelon Pictures,” Ishaq said in a statement.
“Yemen so often makes US headlines in the most negative light, while the spirit and humanity of its people remain largely unknown to the American public. Watermelon Pictures understands what it means to humanize our narratives and bring them to audiences who rarely get to see us on our own terms.”