Sharqiya

Kamel, a Bedouin who lives in an unrecognized village near Be’er Sheva, walks determinedly every morning to the bus that takes him to his job as a security guard at the central bus station. He has a good relationship with his boss, but is relegated to guarding the back gate of the station. A dignified man, Kamel served in the army and is a self-taught electrician. He’s often on the outside, observing, whether it’s when he scrutinizes less vigilant co-workers guarding the front gate or when he watches his angry brother Khaled and sister-in-law, Nadia from afar. The tension and love between the three of them is evident, as they attempt to live quietly on the desert land that—as Kamel tells an officious government worker—their grandfather lived on before there was a state of Israel. When Khaled receives a demolition order, Kamel and his sister-in-law Nadia wonder what decision Khaled will make. Adnan Abu Wadi’s performance as Kamel is absolutely exquisite. The pain of the ambiguous belonging and not belonging of Bedouins in Israeli society is written subtly in Ami Livne’s excellent debut feature and in the eyes and face of Kamel. Longing to be heroic, Kamel makes strategic choices to try to save his family’s home from demolition.—Nancy K. Fishman [CATALOG 209/210]Kamel, a Bedouin who lives in an unrecognized village near Be’er Sheva, walks determinedly every morning to the bus that takes him to his job as a security guard at the central bus station. He has a good relationship with his boss, but is relegated to guarding the back gate of the station. A dignified man, Kamel served in the army and is a self-taught electrician. He’s often on the outside, observing, whether it’s when he scrutinizes less vigilant co-workers guarding the front gate or when he watches his angry brother Khaled and sister-in-law, Nadia from afar. The tension and love between the three of them is evident, as they attempt to live quietly on the desert land that—as Kamel tells an officious government worker—their grandfather lived on before there was a state of Israel. When Khaled receives a demolition order, Kamel and his sister-in-law Nadia wonder what decision Khaled will make. Adnan Abu Wadi’s performance as Kamel is absolutely exquisite. The pain of the ambiguous belonging and not belonging of Bedouins in Israeli society is written subtly in Ami Livne’s excellent debut feature and in the eyes and face of Kamel. Longing to be heroic, Kamel makes strategic choices to try to save his family’s home from demolition.—Nancy K. Fishman [CATALOG 209/210] Adnan Abu Wadi’s performance is exquisite as Kamel, a dignified Bedouin security guard whose family is facing the demolition of their home. [CASTRO 22/25] Adnan Abu Wadi’s performance as Kamel, a Bedouin security guard whose family is facing the demolition of their home, is exquisite. Longing to be heroic, Kamel makes strategic choices to try to save his family’s home. [RAFAEL 36/35]