Date: 2008.05.22 Duration:
Invited to perform at the opening of an Israeli cultural centre, the immaculately pressed Alexandria Ceremonial Police Band arrive at the airport only to fi nd that their hosts are nowhere in sight. They take a bus, but accidentally head in the wrong direction and are stranded in a tiny desert town for the night. Band conductor, Tewfiq, and the fetching Haled stay with the self-assured, witty café proprietress, Dina, whose casual sensuality can’t help but challenge the men’s ideas about womanhood. Through the connections they forge, both band members and villagers fi nd their cultural assumptions shaken – with one especially memorable scene taking place in a roller disco. Kolirin’s debut feature is a meticulously observed, understated comedy, good-natured, yet avoiding sentimentality. Its tone is infused with a wistful nostalgia for a time when Egyptian movies and the Israeli Broadcasting orchestra performances were shown side by side on national TV. While refusing to glorify the past, Kolirin clearly yearns for a time when a shared meal, a good tune, an open door – could bring people together.
Last updated: 03.04.2008