Yemen's cultural drug : qat

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Summary

For centuries, a veil of mystery has shrouded the ancient land of Yemen to the outside world, hiding both is fascinating tribal customs as well as its nationwide addiction to the controversial plan...

For centuries, a veil of mystery has shrouded the ancient land of Yemen to the outside world, hiding both is fascinating tribal customs as well as its nationwide addiction to the controversial plant qat. This film explores the Yemeni culture and its dependency on qat, whic plays a central role in daily life, marriages and tribal disputes. Although banned outside Arabia, Qat recently surfaced in on the streets of London and New York. With the explosive expansion of its use worldwide, there is fierce international debate over its allegedly addictive properties. The film follows the Qat trail from its origins in Arabia. Focusing on a central character, the film tells the story of a powerful Qat trader and addict who is about to get married. His wedding is overshadowed by a bitter dispute over his Qat growing fields. What threatens to be a full blown clan war is peacefully resolved through chewing Qat.

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