article

Representation of Yemenis in the Cinematic Adaptation of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

  • Sarawat Hussain Al-Shatri 1
  • Riyad Abdurahman Manqoush 2
  1. 1. MA in English Language Studies, English Language Department, College of Arts and Languages, Seiyun University, Yemen.
  2. 2. Professor of English Literature, English Language Department, College of Arts and Languages, Seiyun University, Yemen.
Issue: Vol. 8 No. 3 (2026)
Pages: 503 -527
Published: 2026-09-19
DOI: 10.53286/048z8k43
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Abstract

The research paper investigates the depictions of Yemenis in Lars Hallström’s movie, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011), which was adapted based on Paul Torday’s novel, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2007). The study aims to analyze the factors that contribute to the portrayals of Yemenis in the movie. In other words, the analysis is supposed to answer the following question: How does Salmon Fishing in the Yemen depict the Yemenis? And what are the factors beyond those depictions? The study employs a qualitative textual and postcolonial film analysis. The theoretical framework of the study depends mainly on postcolonial theory and its concept “representation” with a special focus on some of its minor terms: distortion, binary opposition and hegemony. The paper concludes that the cinematic representations of Yemen and Yemenis are not neutral reflections of reality, but are shaped by complex interactions of power, discourse, and ideology. By applying postcolonial theory and the concept of representation, the research demonstrates how this film constructs Yemen as an “othered” and marginalized space within global cinematic narratives. Consequently, the study highlights the need for more nuanced and contextually grounded portrayals that move beyond reductive and stereotypical images, contributing to a deeper understanding of representation, identity, and power in international cinema.

Keywords

Postcolonial theory Representation Stereotypical images Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

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