West Bank Story facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Bank Story |
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| Directed by | Ari Sandel |
| Produced by | Bill Boland Ashley Jordan Amy S. Kim Ravi Malhotra Ari Sandel Pascal Vaguelsy |
| Written by | Kim Ray Ari Sandel |
| Starring | Ben Newmark Noureen DeWulf Joey Naber A.J. Tannen |
| Music by | Yuval Ron |
| Cinematography | Gavin Kelly |
| Editing by | Avi Youabian |
| Release date(s) | January 20, 2005 (Sundance) |
| Running time | 21 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | US$73-74,000 |
West Bank Story is a funny and musical short film. It was directed by Ari Sandel. He also helped write the story with Kim Ray. The film is a parody, which means it's a funny copy, of the famous 1961 musical West Side Story. That movie was inspired by the classic play Romeo and Juliet.
This film tells the story of two rival falafel restaurants. One is Israeli, called "Kosher King." The other is Palestinian, called "Hummus Hut." The movie shows a romance between a cashier from Hummus Hut and an Israeli soldier. This all happens in the West Bank. Ben Newmark plays the Israeli soldier. Noureen DeWulf plays the Palestinian cashier.
The film was shot on a ranch in Santa Clarita, California. It first showed at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. It was also shown at many other film festivals around the world. In 2007, the film won an Oscar. It won for Best Live Action Short Film.
Contents
The Story of the Film
The film starts with a scene like West Side Story. People from both sides snap their fingers. They then go to their family-owned falafel stands. These are the Hummus Hut and the Kosher King. They sing a song about feeding their people.
A Secret Romance Begins
During the day, Fatima works at Hummus Hut. David is an Israeli soldier. They both daydream about each other. They sing a romantic song called "When I See Him." Fatima later rushes to give a customer forgotten food. She meets David by chance. They both realize they like each other.
Trouble Between Families
Fatima returns to her shop. Her brother shows her something. The Kosher King has a machine. It crosses a few inches onto their property. The owner of Hummus Hut throws a rock at the machine. This makes it break. A fight starts between the two families. David and Fatima stop the fight.
Ariel, the owner of Kosher King, decides to build a wall. After everyone else leaves, David and Fatima stay. David says he will visit her balcony that night.
Stopping the Fight
The wall construction begins. The Palestinians plan to stop it. They sing "We're Gonna Build It." David goes to Fatima's house. He sings "This Moment Is All We Have." He wants to kiss her. But Fatima says no. She thinks it will make the conflict worse.
They both go to stop the fight. Fatima's family finds out they are in love. The fight causes a gasoline can to tip over. The Hummus Hut stand catches fire. David warns the Israelis. They celebrate at first. Then, a burning piece reaches the Kosher King. It also catches fire. The Hummus Hut people celebrate. But Fatima tells everyone they are only making things worse for themselves.
A New Beginning
The next morning, customers want falafel. They don't know about the fire. Ahmed and Ariel have no food left. But David and Fatima find some remaining food. They combine the two falafel stands. After everyone starts working, David and Fatima kiss.
At the very end, Fatima asks what will happen. She wonders if their families can't stop fighting. David says he will take her to "Beverly Hills." This is a hint to the song "Somewhere" from West Side Story.
Awards and Recognition
West Bank Story received several awards. It was recognized at film festivals around the world.
- Academy Awards
* Won the Live Action Short Film in 2006. This was at the 79th Academy Awards.
- Indianapolis International Film Festival
* Won the Audience Award for Best Short Film.
- Malibu Film Festival
* Received a Special Jury Award for Best Live Action Short Film.
- Stony Brook Film Festival
* Won the Festival Grand Prize.
