Gulf

Told through the perspectives of five women from diverse backgrounds—ranging from the Philippines to Ethiopia and New York City—this cinematic novel unfolds their intertwined lives in the Arabian Gulf, leading to profound consequences. Dounia, a young Saudi mother, rebels against domesticity, while Flora, a Filipina domestic worker, grapples with personal tragedy. Zeinah navigates the complexities of love in an arranged marriage, and Justine confronts her ethical dilemmas alongside Eskedare, a defiant Ethiopian teenager. With unsettling intimacy, Gulf explores themes of agency, resilience, and the human capacity for both cruelty and hope.