The Band Visit - 32nd HKIFF

A Egypt orchestra lose their way in a unfamiliar land of Israel, and ended up stuck in a small town for a night with strangers before they can embark on their journey. This is simply a starting of point of this exceptional film by Eran Kolirin. This is a story about how a mis-encounter of different individuals which were not supposed to meet, yet have an impact to each other life. It is charming, light-hearted, humorous if not extremely funny, but not your usual comedy. The dead panned cinematography as well as that of characters (yet extremely well-composted and well-lited) only make the abusiveness of situation even stronger, and hence where the sense of strong dark humor comes from. The crossover of this strange night of the suddenly "visit" of the band had filled up somehow, the residents in this little town, their emotion needs; loneliness, emptiness, to name a few. The same perhaps applies too vice versa, to different members of the band. Especially with the orchestra's uptight captain, whose upholding the prestige status of the band is his utmost important job.