Hatzotzra Ba-Vadi

"Trumpets in the Wadi" offers a look at a world that few of us get to see. Politics and religion are kept to a minimum, although it is impossible to eliminate prejudice, which falls on the head of the Jewish character. The film is charming and moving, but not without flaws. The story and acting are superlative, but some of the plot devices were too convenient to the story and made it less plausible.

Huda is a thirtyish single woman living with her Arab Christian family in a mixed neighborhood in Haifa. Her younger, beautiful sister is involved with a violent ruffian whose father is the family's landlord. To ingratiate himself with the family, the father/landlord replaces noisy neighbors with a short,Russian, Jewish immigrant named Alex. Alex's involvement with the family, and his eventual relationship with Huda are juxtaposed with the younger sister's attempts to seduce her "hill-billy" suitor, whom she prefers to the landlord's son, only because he is not a lunatic.

The movie is unsparing in showing the time-hardened patterns of mistrust, in both Huda's Arabic mother and Alex's Russian Jewish mother. Huda's mother, especially is unsympathetically presented as not caring what happens to Alex, even after he is knifed by the landlord's crazed son while trying to protect Huda's family, among other instances. The men also are presented as real people. But the characters are presented in a vacuum. More content is needed, more background, more description of their places in society. When Alex says "I don't fit in" we are not shown how, we are just told so.

Nonetheless, if you can see this movie, do so, as it is an intelligent and sensitive film.

This film is about interracial love. It is about family, sex and marriage.

Two Arab sisters who are in their thirties are desperately trying to get married without much luck. One sister is beautiful and men fight over her, but she is not sure if she wants to settle for an attractive scum or a rich so-so. The other sister gradually notices a new Russian student neighbor who plays beautiful trumpet. He is short and ugly and oh yes... he is a Jew.

This film captures well the interaction of the Arabic family, and to a lesser extent, there is a great scene with the Jewish family. It is funny and sweet on occasion, but we are not talking about an amazing romance either. These people seem to get together because they have to, because it is the best alternative. This is often how it is however and we start to understand how that is to be.

The awkwardness of the relation is sometimes bothersome. The best interaction is in fact probably between the two sisters. Not going to far, but not staying in place either, the movie could have benefited from a much better, less cliché and pointless, ending.

Huda is bringing shame on her Christian Israeli-Arab family. She is thirty years old and unmarried. Her younger sister would also be bringing shame on her family if they knew of her behaviour with Zohir, the landlord's son. Then Alex, a Jewish Russian new immigrant, moves into the apartment block. Against all odds, a love affair between Huda and Alex develops.

Set in Haifa, the story is a simple Romeo and Juliet story. But unlike the Shakespearean classic, the film is not about feuding families. It is a humane story, exploring the complexities of love and simple survival of ordinary people against a backdrop of the wider political situation. But it is not a political film – the film does not seek to make judgements or take sides. Ultimately it is about human relationships and day to day existence.

There are times when the affair teeters on the unbelievable, and whilst inevitable, the ending is a bit obvious. But all in all this is a film worth seeing, a film that tries to transcend the politics and present an insight into the lives of a Christian Israeli Arab family - families and people that are rarely the subject matter.