The Band's Visit
Synopsis
'A tiny gem, but completely irresistible.' (reel.com) An Egyptian police band is stranded in a small Israeli town, unable to contact their embassy. Café owner Ronit Elkabetz persuades some of her regulars to take in the conspicuously overdressed, Arabic-speaking strangers. What follows is a gentle comedy of Arab-Israeli relations as the guests become embroiled in the lives of their hosts, centring on a fine performance by Sasson Gabai as the bandleader whose stern countenance gradually crumbles.
Critics
“Director and screenwriter Eran Kolirin handles the delicate shades of politics with subtle tones.”