West Bank Story: A ray of hope
The Media Line news agency gave Israelis and Palestinians the opportunity to watch Oscar-winning best live action short film together
West Bank Story is an attempt to tell the Palestinian-Israeli narrative in 20 minutes, while making the audience laugh at the ridiculousness of the conflict.
Over simplistic – perhaps, but the movie’s Oscar-winning director Ari Sandel does not see that as a problem. “I wanted to make a movie that was at least some ray of hope,” Sandel told the Mideast Press Club in Jerusalem this week. “In my heart of hearts I really believe the situation will be solved. It has to be solved.”
Since winning the 2006 Academy Award for the best live action short film, Sandel has been on the road showing his movie to audiences from Dubai to Beverly Hills. Judging from the reaction of the Israeli and Palestinian reporters along with film and journalism students from Jerusalem and Ramallah it is a good job he travels with the movie.
One young Palestinian member of the audience asked the director why he chose the name West Bank Story, arguing it was an unfair title, with political connotations attached. Sandel then had to go back to basics, explaining the movie was based on West Side Story.
The Romeo and Juliet balcony scene, played out by Palestinian Hummus Hut cashier, Fatima, and Israeli soldier David, shocked some of the Muslims in the audience. The on-camera kiss at the end of the 20-minute film left some aghast.
The Indian Muslim actor, Noureen Dewulf, who plays Fatima better watch her back, a senior Palestinian member of the press club warned. An honor killing could be her fate if she goes round kissing people in the movies, and, to compound that, Israeli soldiers.
West Bank Story is a far cry from reality, but everyone in the audience found something to laugh at, from the camel’s cameo through to the last line in which Fatima and David decide even if peace does not work out between the make-believe Palestine and Israel, they can find their own true love somewhere else – like Beverly Hills.
“Just have fun with it,” said Gila, a student at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, as she tried to explain the film is not meant to be taken at face value.
Perhaps the problem for Sandel in showing his film in Turkey, Morocco and Jerusalem is that he made it with Americans in mind. In the United States people ‘get it.’ They do not need a Sandel to talk them through why he chose which actors, which colors and which food types. However, given the sensitivity of the subject and the levity of the movie’s approach, his personal appearance at the press club helped bring clarity to the audience, who as journalists will be able to better explain the film to their readers and viewers.
David Harris is the MidEast Bureau Chief for The Media Line
