The situation is Middle East and Israel, specifically, is complicated. Despite the finger pointing, the media and multitude of opinions, it is not as simple as black and white.
Dancing in Jaffa, a documentary by Hilla Medalia, follows Pierre Dulaine, a native of Jaffa, who returns to his birth city to teach it’s children to dance. Mr. Dulaine, born to a Palestinian mother and an Irish father has been a professional ballroom dancer for decades.
He selects five schools. They are either exclusively Jewish or Palestinian, with only one containing a more diverse student body. The students initial reaction, to both the dancing and their potential dance partners is expected. In addition to following Mr. Dulaine, the filmmakers follow several of the students as they learn to dance and spend time with their new friends and dance partners.
What I enjoyed about the documentary is that we, as the audience, understand what it is like to live in Jaffa. What I gained from this documentary is hope. Hope that these children will remember their dancing experiences and their dancing partners and use this experience to lead us to peace.
Writergurlny 