Rock the Casbah

Set in the Gaza Strip in 1989, ROCK THE CASBAH follows a group of Israeli soldiers sent to keep watch over the Arabs in the Occupied Territories. Not long after arriving, one of them is killed by a local, who ends up escaping. Their mission becomes focused on avenging the death of their fallen comrade, Iliya. The situation is especially troublesome for Tomer (in an extraordinary performance by Yon Tumarkin), a young soldier who struggles with mixed feelings about the occupation. The others tease him for his playful interactions with the Arab children, whom they call “little terrorists.” But he finds it hard to maintain his kindness towards the locals. The people there are weary of the soldiers, and Tomer and his buddies become the target of their frustrations. While initially apprehensive about revenge, Tomer finds himself face-to-face with Iliya's gloating killer. Has war changed him? Will he pull the trigger? ROCK THE CASBAH jarringly profiles the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the ground, capturing the chaos and frustrations on both sides of the line. (In Hebrew, Arabic, and Russian with subtitles) —E.F.