The Band's Visit (Israel, 2007) March 25, 2009

Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin's 'The Band's Visit' is a gentle and heartfelt tale of kindness overcoming suspicion. The setting is a desolate Israeli desert town. The inhabitants are surprised when eight Egyptian men in military uniforms step off the cross-country bus. Although they may look like military men, they are actually musicians: the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra. Led by their stern conductor, Tawfiq, the band is on their way to play at an Arab cultural center. Bad directions and poor knowledge of Hebrew have left them stranded in this nondescript town that nonetheless feels like hostile territory. The stoic Tawfiq is determined not to call the Egyptian consulate for help, and instead reluctantly turns to the inhabitants for assistance. Since the town is too small to have a hotel, the band members are dispersed to various private homes. As day dissolves into evening, everyone finds himself suddenly thrown together with foreigners. By daybreak, secrets - both joyous and sad - have been revealed, and lives have changed in quietly surprising ways.