A little humor, a little hummus -- a Jewish film festival

For those craving a film venue outside the usual Hollywood blockbusters, the Nevada Museum of Art is presenting a Jewish film festival that's drawing in such indi- successes as the Oscar nominated "West Bank Story." It's one of five films nominated for best live action short. Watch some scenes from the movie. It's HAL-Laaaari-ious! From the clips I've seen, it promises to be an over-the-top, high energy musical with plenty of humor making fun of the typical Romeo-Juliet storyline and human nature. Props to the actors for pulling off a genuine gangster swagger while wearing ridiculously humiliating headdresses. It's like watching gang warfare among Hot Dog on a Stick employees.

Here's what the critics have to say about it:
"Set where else but the West Bank, this sharp and funny mock musical features a forbidden love between Israeli soldier David and the Palestinian Fatima, a love that cannot be because their families operate the deadly rival snack stands Hummus Hut and Kosher King. Expertly made and impressive down to the finger snapping of the rival gangs and the mugging of a camel named stormy, West Bank Story shows that short films done right retain the power to surprise and delight the way they always have."
- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times, Sunday, January 21, 2007

You can watch their trailer and I think Forrest showcases it better. You be the judge (high bandwith, low bandwith).

Those with short attention spans will be happy to hear the film is not even a half-hour long. It clocks in just over 20 minutes. The cost is $10 a ticket but you should be entertained from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Other films to be featured include: "Shalom Y'all," a Jewish man's journey through the American South, and "Second Watch," a 14-minute Israeli film, a bored Israeli Reserve soldier passing the time with a Jordanian soldier.

All this cinematic amusement is scheduled for tomorrow at the Nevada Museum of Art.

Read more about this event in an article written by Geralda Miller.