There are films that attempt to broach the prickly topic of Arab/Israeli conflict, but few are quite so subtly bittersweet as The Band’s Visit. This warm-hearted film gradually draws us in, gently treading a line between sorrow and happiness to reveal how people from opposing cultures face the same trials and tribulations.
Members of an Egyptian police band arrive to perform in an Arab cultural festival in Israel. Unfortunately they take the wrong bus from the airport and end up in the tiny dead-end backwater of Bet Hatikva. The plot follows the band members as they survive a night in this dull town, finding kinship with their Israeli hosts.
I found a couple of scenes a bit too ‘cute’ for my liking. It’s the fine performances from the leads (Sasson Gabai and Ronit Elkabetz, in particular, as two lonely souls) that make the film worth seeing.
The camerawork is precise, with careful framing and measured editing often used to humorous effect. Nighttime lighting is atmospheric, utilising tacky neon and fluorescent to capture the look of middle-of-nowhere locales, such a late-night café or a disco.
The simple plot moves at a relaxed pace, providing plenty of breathing space for each subtle character nuance. The overall effect is of a pleasantly modest story, one that chooses to wrap a big message in something very human and accessible.
