Socotra, the Land of Djinns

At a glance

Socotra, the Land of Djinns, is a 2016 Yemeni movie, directed by Jordi Esteva. with a runtime of 65 minutes.

Overview

Socotra, the Land of Djinns is a captivating documentary set on the remote island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean, situated between the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia. Known since antiquity for its mythical birds, dragon's blood trees, frankincense, and myrrh — resources prized by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans — Socotra is a place where legend and landscape are inseparable. The film follows a group of camel drivers journeying into the island's secretive interior before the rainy season, gathering by firelight to share ancient stories of djinns and giant snakes passed down through generations. Against the backdrop of Yemen's civil war, which has once again isolated this extraordinary island, the documentary offers a rare and atmospheric window into a world where the mythological and the real remain profoundly intertwined.

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