Review: THE BAND’S VISIT Strikes the Right Chord

At first glance, I thought the framing was entirely static; you might pick it up sooner than I did, but it took a second viewing for me to realize that the camera actually does move a fair amount. Working with cinematographer Shai Goldman, director Kolirin executes a number of very subtle changes, often moving the camera in concert with the actors in the foreground. The effect is one of stillness; the characters act against backdrops that are well established yet inviting.

In turn, that ties into the theme of the picture, if an observational document can be said to have a theme. As with the camera movements, the subject appears to be trite: appearances can be deceiving. But Kolirin, who also wrote the script, deftly weaves together small gestures, facial expressions, and utterances of the heart to make something greater as a whole than the individual moments.

The story begins like a fairy tale: “Once—not long ago—a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel. Not many remember this ... It wasn’t that important.”

Hailing from Alexandria, Egypt, the eight-member ceremonial orchestra has been invited to play at the opening of a new Arab Cultural Center in a tiny Israeli town. Expressing themselves haltingly but as best they can in English, the Egyptians discover that the Israelis’ comprehension of English is no more fluent than theirs. They are stranded in the wrong tiny Israeli town, with no transportation and no place to stay.

The orchestra’s leader, Tewfiq (Sasson Gabai), is a quiet, firm and conservative man. He is not pleased, blaming their quandry on young, rebellious Khaled (Saleh Bakri), who was dispatched to get directions to the town but was distracted by various women.

Tewfiq reluctantly asks for hospitality from restaurant owner Dina (Ronit Elkabetz); the simple meal she provides soon extends to putting the men up for the night. Some stay at the restaurant and some head off with Dina’s friend Itzik (Rubi Moscovih), while Tewfiq and Khaled go with Dina. She invites Tewfiq to accompany her for an evening out, giving Khaled the chance to sneak off with some other young people.

With the orchestra split up, we get to watch the various scenarios play out.

Tewfiq is uncomfortable with Dina. For all that he appears suited to his “lonely at the top” position leading the orchestra, he’s actually quite bashful and shy. For her part, the previously-married Dina knows her own mind, knows what she wants, and has no problems expressing herself. In stark contrast to Tewfiq, she is entirely comfortable in her own skin. And if you’ve seen actress Ronit Eklabetz in other roles (especially Late Marriage, but also Or), then you know she also exudes raw sexuality. Just look at her here when she sits in her apartment, watching the older Tewfiq and the younger Khaled, with her jeans-clad legs spread open, or after she’s changed into a red dress and stands in front of a mirror.

I can see why Tewfiq’s scared of her. And when we hear more about his life history, we really root for the poor guy to open up.

Khaled is the exact opposite of Tewfiq, a sexual prowler who is nonetheless content to help out a hapless companion when he sees that his own prospects are dim to non-existent. His attitude seems to be: well, it’s better than sitting home alone.

There are more delightful character moments, as well as more sober ones, between Itzik and Simon, the second in command in the orchestra. Itzik’s family is none too happy to see him bring home three Egyptian strangers, especially since it’s his wife’s birthday, but those currents run deep.

In the press notes, Ezran Kolirin points out that when a new airport was built in Israel, none of the road signs were translated into Arabic, which helps explain why the orchestra got so lost. The filmmaker also comments on his childhood in the 1980s, when it was fairly common for Israeli families to watch Egyptian movies on television. “This was kind of weird, actually,” he said, “for a country that spent half of its existence in a state of war with Egypt, and the other half in a sort of cold, correct peace with its neighbor to the south.”

For audiences outside the Middle East, The Band’s Visit is a reminder that the differences between nations are not usually caused because the people themselves are so different.

What a shame.

Related Links

• The Band's Visit - official site - U.S.