Saturday January 10 8pm

The Band’s Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret)

12A cert 87 mins  Israel / France / USA 2007
Directed by Eran Kolirin, Starring Sasson Gabai,  Ronet Elkabetz, Saleh Bakri

An Egyptian band -The Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra - travels to Israel, where they are scheduled to perform at the opening of an Arab cultural centre.

However, the local dignitaries fail to meet them at the airport – they board the wrong bus and end up stranded in a remote Israeli town. There being no transport out until the following day, the band find themselves at the mercy of a tiny community culturally and politically very different to themselves.

Reluctant locals – persuaded by the larger than life proprietor of the local cafe - offer to billet the band members for the night, and what ensues is a droll and understated comedy, as the visitors and their hosts establish a mutual affection over the course of a surprising evening.

In other hands, this might easily have become a trite message movie. But the film’s deadpan humour, and its avoidance of capital P politics, save it from being remotely preachy. Instead The Band’s Visit is a charming and affecting take on cross cultural relations, and the possibilities inherent in small scale human interactions.

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