IMDB
Plot and Summary
Ajami is the religiously mixed community of Muslims and Christians in Tel Aviv. These are five stories about the everyday life in Ajami.
Rarely has the tinderbox nature of the Middle East been so accurately lensed, on such an intimate scale, as in Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani's powerful "Ajami." Working with an impressive non-pro cast, the debuting multi-hyphenate helmers, Shani (Israeli) and Copti (Palestinian), start with a revenge killing and then show the repercussions furiously fanning out, to tragic results. Time shifts may overcomplicate the narrative for some, but the pay-off packs a major punch and fest travel is assured. Euro arthouse -- Ad Vitam bought French rights for 2010 release -- and bi-coastal Stateside play should create a buzz.
Copti and Shani took months auditioning locals, many of whom are from Jaffa's multi-ethnic Ajami neighborhood. Rehearsals assumed the form of role-playing, so the amateur performers were guided to their characters by improve, giving a sense of spontaneity and reality that's enhanced by handheld lensing.
Some of the film's success is its ability to cover so much ground in such an even-handed way, partly thanks to the helmers' diverse backgrounds. Issues such as the Palestinian contempt for Arab collaborators and the impossibility of intra-ethnic relationships are treated intelligently, without the need for over-explanation. But what comes through most clearly is the constant state of simmering hostility between the different communities, each side rewarding overweening machismo to predictably disastrous results.
No location in Israel encapsulates this fissured tolerance as well as Jaffa, where Arabs and Jews live side by side in deep mutual distrust. The amateur actors' rawness works both with subject matter and visual style, creating a flawless ensemble. Cinematographer Boaz Yehonatan Yacov also lensed "My Father, My Lord," another film notable for the way the camera naturally fit within a community. [Variety]
Rating:
7.1/10 333 votes
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Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8
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