the Band's Visit

In the opening scene, several mid-aged men in neat uniforms stand in a straight line at an Israeli airport. They are an orchestra coming from Egypt, the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra. They are asked to play at the opening of an Arab Cultural Center. The members of the orchestra are at a pivotal time in their careers. It’s not just the political nature of an Arab military police band playing traditional Arab music in Israel that makes this event so important; budget cuts and many reorganizations have threatened the continued existence of the Orchestra. Faced with the heavy burden of this assignment, the stoic conductor Tewfiq is determined not to foul their excursion.

Despite all Tewfiqs efforts, it’s not long before problems arise. The band arrives at the airport with no one there to greet them. Stranded and unable to contact their Israeli hosts or the Egyptian consulate for help, Tewfiq decides that the Orchestra will persevere with its assignment and orders, and designates Khaled to ask for directions. Khaled and the station agent struggle in English, Arabic and Hebrew to communicate, but despite their best efforts, the Orchestra is sent to the outskirts of a small forgotten Israeli town in the desert.

the Syrian Bride

Mona is a25-year old Syrian girl, but, strictly speaking, she doesn’t belong to any country, because she has no nationality on her passport. She lives in a village called Galon, which is a Druze community. The village used to be a part of Syria, but it was taken over by Israel since 1976. In consequence she is not a Syrian. At least, Israel doesn’t think she is. Mona’s fiancé is a Syrian actor and her family wants her to marry a Syrian, not an Israeli. However, the problem is if she marries to Syria she can never return to Golan Heights, because her nationality will then be changed to Syrian and will no longer be accepted by Israel again. Her wedding is a little sentimental and looks rather like a farewell party.

There are four other major characters in the film. Hammed is Mona’s father who openly supports the reunification with Syria and has just been released on bail from an Israeli prison. On the day of Mona’s wedding, he insists to march for Syrian newly elected president. Hattem is Mona’s eldest brother. He marries an Russian girl, which is strongly against the village’s custom, so he leaves his village and lives in Russia with his wife. He returns after 8 years for Mona’s wedding, but is not welcomed by his village. Marwen, Mona’s second brother, does business in Italy. He is obviously a womanizer, yet nobody seems to object to his slightly unsettled lifestyle, which is quite a contrast to his brother who is only greeted by his mother and siblings. Mona’s sister Amal has a unhappy marriage, but she has a strong character and never gives in to life.