Haram: Yemen, The Hidden Half Speaks 2003
Distributed by Women Make Movies, 462 Broadway, New York, NY 10013; 212-925-0606
Produced by Gudrun Torrubia
Director n/a
VHS, color, 52 min.
Jr. High - Adult
Multicultural Studies, Women's Studies, Human Rights
Date Entered: 09/09/2004
Reviewed by Ethan Pullman, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Hillman Library, University Library System, University of PittsburghTorrubia and Kraus’ brilliant script collaboration, at the request of the Woman’s National Committee of San’aa, is part of a powerful documentary that sheds light on the reality of women in Yemen.
Haram, Arabic for sin, follows the lives of four women: Aisha, Amal, Halima, and Hamida. These women represent a broad range of contemporary issues including the battle to improve the status of women in Yemen.
As women are not permitted to attend school, Aisha struggled for her right to education, against her father’s will, risking death for disobedience. Her mother’s interference and, later, her commitment to gain her father’s trust, set an example for her siblings to follow. Her father admits the need to enlighten other fathers.
Amal, promised for marriage at 7, manages to convince her family to delay her marriage until she’s sixteen, when she’s confronted with the horrific realization that she couldn’t fulfill her husband’s family’s requirement of proving her virginity. Losing respect for her husband’s inability to overcome his jealousy and suspicions, she divorced him. Not settling for less, she finds true love, only to lose him a few years later. But she finds strength in fighting for the rights of her fellow Yemini women.
Hamida, followed tradition and married young. But her husband was useless and she had no alternative but to work and support her family. Her will is incredible. She owns her own restaurant, against tradition, and later opens another restaurant and hotel.
Halima, wasn’t so fortunate. Forced to marry young, divorce, and remarry. She still struggles to feed her daughters.
But not all Yemni men support the current status of women. Ali, searches for a soul mate that will “have a mutual understanding”.
How can such situation exist in today’s world of information? Watch the film.
The film affirms the urgency for education for both the men and women of Yemen. Although aimed to awaken the men and politicians of Yemen to the “reality of THEIR women,” the film will be appreciated to by activists worldwide. Haram: Yemen, the Hidden Half Speaks is a must see and strongly recommended for all libraries, especially academic and school libraries.