The Band’s Visit - Bikur Hatizmoret

OK, so maybe sending an Egyptian police force band over to a small Israeli town wasn’t such a great idea after all. Caught up in a tangle of red tape and set back by an endless string of bad luck, the hapless musicians find themselves stranded in a less-than-welcoming town. So they spend their days killing time, making passes at the local girls, making fools of themselves in the process, yet somehow managing to warm the natives to their presence. Kolirin takes up the classic theme of cultural and personal conflict rendering it with a crisp, effortless minimalism, complete with bittersweet touches reminiscent of Jacques Tati and Aki Kaurismäki. Official selection in the Un Certain Regard Section of this year’s Cannes Festival.

Director: Eran Kolirin
Screenwriter: Eran Kolirin
Cinematography: Shai Goldman
Editing: Arik Lahav-Lebovitch
Music: Habib Shehadeh
Cast: Sasson Gabai, Saleh Bakri, Khalifa Natour

Israel / France, Color
Arabic / English / Hebrew, 90΄
Format: 35mm