As
part of their start-up nation and workshop in business creation and management,
the Israeli Embassy to The Gambia based in Dakar, Monday staged a movie night
entitled The Band’s Visit in The Gambia.
The
well attended movie night was held at the University of The Gambia Faculty of
Law auditorium in Kanifing.
The
movie night was staged prior to the commencement of the Israel start-up nation
and workshop in business creation and management presentation held on Tuesday.
Both events were presided over by the Israeli Ambassador Roi Roseblit.
Shown
for the first time in The Gambia, The Band’s visit is an international award
winning Israeli comedy-drama. The official trailer was out in 2007 but acted in
three languages Hebrew, Arabic and English.
The 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 observing all military police protocol. Its members 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 many organisations have threatened the continued existence of
the Orchestra.
They
were faced with the heavy burden of this assignment, the stoic conductor Tewfig
(act 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 scenes 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. 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 struggle 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.
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.
