A warm
and fuzzy delight
Occasionally
a gem of a movie creeps up on you without a huge fanfare. The
Band's Visit is one such, and I can totally recommend the
happy experience of seeing it. In a week of sitting through some
major films, this one was easily the winner. Little wonder it’s
been the darling of film festivals around the world.
“Once - not so long ago- a small Egyptian
police band arrived in Israel. Not many remember this...it wasn’t
that important.”
A small group of eight Egyptian musicians comprising
the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra arrive in Israel to
play at a cultural event in the Arab Arts Centre at a village
known as Petah Tiqva. Through some oversight, there is no welcoming
committee and their visit may have been forgotten. So their inflexible
leader, Lt. Colonel Tawfiq Zacharaya (Sasson Gabai), sets out
to find his own way to the village. The orchestra mistakenly end
up in the desolate isolated town of Beit Hatikva. Thus the strange
band is stranded in a strange land with people speaking a strange
language. Yet they manage to converse with the locals in limited
English and gain their sympathy.
To get to their original destination, they have
to wait for the morning bus the next day. In their stylish outfits,
they’re terribly out of place. Tawfig approaches a café
owner, the sultry Dina (Ronit Elkabetz), who initially seems amused
by the severe-faced leader in his elaborate uniform. “Here
there is no Arab Culture, also no Israeli culture. Here there
is no culture at all.” Then she takes pity and prepares
them a simple meal, finally inviting the whole group to stay overnight.
As each of the orchestra try to thank the locals in a friendly
way, the long evening provides ample opportunity for budding romance
and confessions as two different cultures find harmony, and not
just in music.
Some highlights of the various interludes are wonderfully
poetic scenes as the touching conversation between Tawfiq and
Dina, when we discover why there is sadness and “tons of
loneliness” behind his stern mask. Haled (Saleh Bakri) another
band member with a penchant for the ladies, meets up with Papi
(Shlomi Avraham) a local lad who needs considerable tuition in
courting, leading to a quietly effective romantic conquest at
the skating rink where Haled encourages Papi to make all the right
moves. There’s the clarinetist playing the theme from his
unfinished concerto, and the impatient lover waiting for a call
from his girl at a public phone – all cameos having real
humanity about them.
The
Band's Visit is a beautifully observed whimsical comedy,
more touching than you would expect – complete with one
of the most moving farewells ever to reach the screen.
The writer/director Eran Kolirin uses his camera
well. Close-ups have special meaning, while the wide shots are
composed shrewdly emphasizing the bleak landscape, or the amusing
line up of the eight band members across the width of the frame.
Kolirin a director Israeli television features, manages to extract
the most gentle humour, charm, and compassion from the band’s
in-the-wrong-place predicament. Kolirin encourages convincing
performances, and some of the best moments are unexpected. His
grasp of cinema technique is impressive.
Sasson Gabai (Aviva, My Love) has the craggy
features of a Ben Kingsley albeit with full head of hair. Gabai’s
performance as the repressed Tawfiq is impeccable. Likewise co-star
Ronit Elkabetz (To Take a Wife) brings depth and sympathy
as lonely Dina bored of living in the dreary uneventful town.
Equally the supporting cast all give of their best in various
roles, hard not to be convinced they are real people. Dialogue
is sparse, yet often what isn’t said in the hesitant pauses
is the more meaningful.
Although supposedly enemies, Arabs and Israelis
are people with ordinary lives and similar problems, this gentle
endearing film leaves you feeling there’s still much hope
for a world in turmoil. There will be few that won’t be
swept along by its charm.
John Bale
