Private Project

Just Another Memory

Amidst the ongoing war in Yemen; torn between being “safe” and “away”, weighed down by the ever-present mental and emotional baggage that still holds you back. How does one move forward and heal? How to deal with so much suppressed pain? In this profoundly affecting documentary, we investigate these questions and explore what it feels like to be suddenly uprooted and displaced by war.

  • Mariam Al-Dhubhani
    Director
  • Yassmine Hammoudi
    Producer
  • Mariam Al-Dhubhani
    Key Cast
  • Mohammed Al-Jaberi
    Key Cast
  • Akram Al-Dhubhani
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    مجرد ذكرى
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Humanitarian, Woman, children, war, drama
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 4 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 20, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    Russian Federation
  • Country of Filming:
    Qatar, Russian Federation, Yemen
  • Language:
    Arabic, English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Ajyal Film Festival
    Doha
    Qatar
    December 1, 2018
    Local Premiere
    Best Documentary
  • American Documentary Film Festival
    California
    United States
    March 29, 2019
    International Premiere
  • Yemeni Cinema in Beirut
    Beirut
    Lebanon
    April 21, 2019
Director Biography - Mariam Al-Dhubhani

Mariam Al-Dhubhani is an award-winning Yemeni-Russian journalist, filmmaker, curator, and educator based in the MENA region. Her passion for media began during the 2011 Arab uprisings, where she co-founded her first media production. As a two-time TEDx speaker and a pioneer in using virtual reality to highlight stories from Yemen, Al-Dhubhani strives to counter the stereotyping of the region in mainstream media and promote equality in humanity. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Strategic Communication from Northwestern University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Museum and Gallery Practice from University College London. Her films have received numerous accolades, including the Most Promising Filmmaker award at the Toronto Arab Film Festival in 2019 for her film, In The Middle. Al-Dhubhani has provided mentorship and training to support young filmmakers in conflict areas, including Yemen, Libya, and Iraq. She has also served as a jury member for film grants and festivals in the US, Canada, and Yemen. In addition, she has collaborated with several UN agencies to produce and train young journalists on immersive reality in storytelling. Currently, Mariam is working on her feature debut, Let's Play Soldiers, highlighted at prestigious film festivals and markets such as Cannes, IDFA, and HotDocs.
مريم الذبحاني صحفية ومخرجة أفلام وقيّمة فنية ومعلمة يمنية - روسية حائزة على عدة جوائز. بدأ شغفها بالإعلام خلال الانتفاضات العربية عام ٢٠١١، حيث شاركت في تأسيس أول شركة إنتاج إعلامي لها. متحدثة TEDx لمرتين وأحد المخرجين الأوائل الذين استخدموا الواقع الافتراضي والتصوير بتقنية ٣٦٠ درجة في اليمن. من خلال أعمالها، تسلط الضوء على مخاطر التصوير النمطي للمنطقة وتحاول تقديم صورة مضادة لتعزيز المساواة في الإنسانية. حاصلة على درجة البكالوريوس في الصحافة والاتصال الاستراتيجي من Northwestern University ودبلوم دراسات عليا في تطبيقات المتاحف والمعارض من University College London. نالت أفلامها العديد من الجوائز، بما في ذلك جائزة "أفضل مخرج واعد" في مهرجان تورونتو السينمائي العربي عام ٢٠١٩ عن فيلمها "في المنتصف". قدمت الذبحاني الإرشاد والتدريب لدعم صانعي الأفلام الشباب في مناطق النزاع، بما في ذلك اليمن وليبيا والعراق. عملت أيضًا كعضو في لجنة تحكيم منح الأفلام والمهرجانات في الولايات المتحدة وكندا واليمن. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تعاونت مع العديد من وكالات الأمم المتحدة لإنتاج وتدريب الصحفيين وصانعي الأفلام الشباب على التصوير بتقنية ٣٦٠ درجة والواقع الإفتراضي. تعمل حاليًا على فيلمها الطويل الأول بعنوان "يلا نلعب عسكرة،" الذي تم تسليط الضوء عليه في عدة مهرجانات وأسواق سينمائية مرموقة مثل Cannes و IDFA و HotDocs.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The motivation to make this documentary for me was to heal. Until last summer, I was away from home and haven't been able to see my family in almost three years. I was fortunate enough to leave Yemen at the peak of the current war in 2015, but being away and safe didn't solve my problems. "Just Another Memory" turned from a learning process into a healing one when I decided to explore the emotional and psychological effects the war had on me even while being away. I felt like I was stuck and needed to process the burden I am carrying around to be able to move forward, and I believe that I managed to start at least fragmenting the mountain accumulated over the past few years.