“Some of the best comedies are drawn from life‘s most serious conflicts, and proof lies in this witty and gentle lark about an Egyptian brass band (The Alexandria Police Ceremonial Orchestra) that finds itself lost in a backwater, desert Israeli town. It’s a place described as “no Arab culture, no Israeli culture, no culture at all,“ but the eight-member band most quickly turns bewilderment into opportunity. Propelled by charismatic and engaging performances, the film is earning awards around the world, including a sweep of the Israeli Film Academy awards (the equivalent to the American Oscar®s, who disqualified the film from their Foreign Language category due to the movies’ prevalent use of English). It’s colorful assortment of characters — including a rigid manager, a flirtatious singer, and a brassy café owner — attempt to survive unexpectedly close encounters with people hailing from contentious nations. But if the resulting light comedy suggests anything, it’s that the underlying tensions may be the most universal resource for renewed life in this dry and arid land.” -PSIFF 2008