Review by gloria wong.

"Once, not long ago, a small Egyptian police band got lost in Israel... Not many people remember this. It wasn't very important." And so begins Eran Kolirin's charmingly small-scaled cross-cultural comedy The Band's Visit, a hugely popular prize-winner at this year's Cannes Film Festival..

When their Israeli hosts fail to meet the visiting band at the airport, the band's proud and buttoned-up leader Haled orders them onto a bus, only to get them lost in the middle of nowhere (they end up in Bet Hatikva instead of Petah Tikva - say it out loud for some fun). With little other recourse, Haled reluctantly accepts help from the local diner owner, the beautiful and thoroughly modern Dina (played by Ronit Elkabetz), who strongarms another local into boarding half of the band at his house that night, while she takes in Haled and Tawfiq, the band's resident ladies' man. The remainder of the movie follows the band members as they interact with the locals on a hot Summer night, breezily addressing political and personal differences with a very light touch.

The Band's Visit
Eran Kolirin | Israel | 2007 | 86min

Tue. Oct. 2 | 11:00am | Empire Granville Theatre
Tue. Oct. 9 | 7:00pm | Empire Granville Theatre
Thur. Oct. 11 | 1:00pm | Empire Granville Theatre