By Yunus S Saliu
The Embassy of Israel for The Gambia based in Dakar, Senegal Monday held a Movie Night in The Gambia to present a movie titled The Band’s Visit. The Movie Night preceded the commencement of the Embassy organized Start-up Nation and workshop in Business Creation and Management which took place on Tuesday.
Both the Movie Night and workshop held at the Faculty of Law auditorium, University Campus, Kanifing and was presided over by the Israeli Ambassador Roi Rosenblit.
Shown for the first time in Destination Gambia, The Band’s Visit is an international award winning Israeli Comedy-drama which the official trailer was out in 2007. It was acted in three languages Hebrew, Arabic and English.
The movie storyline is about the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra that travelled from Egypt to Israel to play at the opening of an Arab Cultural Center. All members of the orchestra dressed in full regalia and as well observing all military police protocol, the members of the orchestra are at a pivotal time in their careers.
Following the movie, it is not just the political nature of an Arab military police band playing traditional Arab music in Israel that makes this event so important; budget cuts and much reorganization have threatened the continued existence of the Orchestra.
They faced with the heavy burden of this assignment, the stoic conductor Tewfig (acted by Sasson Gabai) is determined not to foul their excursion, and despite all his efforts, it is not long before problems arise.
Among other funny scene of the movie is that the band arrives at the airport with no one there to greet them then they got stranded as they were unable to contact their Israeli hosts or the Egyptian consulate for help. So, Tewfiq decides that the Orchestra will persevere with its assignment and orders, and designates Khaled (acted by Saleh Bakri), a suave young ladies man to ask for directions. Khaled and the station agent struggled in English, Arabic and Hebrew to communicate.
But despite their best efforts, the Orchestra is sent to the outskirts of a small forgotten Israeli town in the desert.
However, at the workshop Ambassador Roi Roseblit made a presentation on Israel Start-up Nation while M Haim Gilad an Israeli expert presented on the practical in business creation and management.
