Klufty recommended a movie to me called The Bands Visit (original title Bikur Ha-Tizmoret) from 2007. What was the film about? “Once-not long ago-a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel. Not many remember this…It wasn’t that important.” This is from IMDB
On an ordinary day, the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra arrives in Israel from Egypt for a cultural event, only find there is no delegation to meet them, nor any arrangements to get to their destination of Petah Tiqva. When they find their own ride, they arrive instead at the remote town of Beit Hatikva. Stuck there until the next morning’s bus, the band, lead by the repressed Tawfiq Zacharaya, gets help from the worldly lunch owner, Dina, who offers to put them up for the night. As the band settles in as best it can, each of the members attempts to get along with the natives in their own way. What follows is a special night of quiet happenings and confessions as the band makes its own impact on the town and the town on them.
I guess that I was expecting a feelgood movie but through it all there was so much human loneliness and sadness. The movie was not a sugary happy one but many of the minor characters made me laugh and then the laughter stuck in my throat. The film is not about the predictable message of the healing power of music. Often the music is not a part of peoples lives so they simply cannot appreciate it and what it’s about.
Keep your eyes open for the lesser roles: The DJ at the video skating rink, The poor guy waiting for his girlfriend to call & The guy too afraid to make a pass at his eager blind date. These raised the humor of the film. The photography is like the film: brilliant both sad and empty and very very funny.