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Bridging the Mideast Divide With Comedy Bridging the Mideast Divide With Comedy
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JERUSALEM — Usually, post-screening sessions with filmmakers are for audience questions. But after a showing of “Peace After Marriage,” Ghazi Albuliwi, the film’s writer-director-star, had a question of his own: Had any of the Israelis in the theater had sex with a Palestinian?JERUSALEM — Usually, post-screening sessions with filmmakers are for audience questions. But after a showing of “Peace After Marriage,” Ghazi Albuliwi, the film’s writer-director-star, had a question of his own: Had any of the Israelis in the theater had sex with a Palestinian?
After much shifting in seats, a woman raised her hand and said well, not exactly, but she had managed a few dates. A rabbi’s wife was ready to brag about friends who broke the Israeli-Palestinian bedroom barrier when a bearded man in front spoke up. He was Arab, a Muslim it turned out, and had done the deed with a female envoy of the supposed enemy. After much shifting in seats, a woman raised her hand and said well, not exactly, but she had managed a few dates. A rabbi’s wife was ready to brag about friends who broke the Israeli-Palestinian bedroom barrier when a bearded man in front spoke up. He was Palestinian, a Muslim it turned out, and said he had done the deed with the supposed enemy, an Israeli Jew.
Mr. Albuliwi, a New Yorker of Palestinian descent, fell to his knees in mock praise of Allah. Now he had more questions: Was she, perchance, a soldier? With a gun? Might an introduction be in his future?Mr. Albuliwi, a New Yorker of Palestinian descent, fell to his knees in mock praise of Allah. Now he had more questions: Was she, perchance, a soldier? With a gun? Might an introduction be in his future?
The aging, left-leaning audience at Jerusalem’s Cinematheque, where Mr. Albuliwi’s romantic comedy opened the recent Jewish Film Festival, cracked up. Here, finally, a film about the intractable conflict that was not supposed to make them feel guilty, only to make them laugh.The aging, left-leaning audience at Jerusalem’s Cinematheque, where Mr. Albuliwi’s romantic comedy opened the recent Jewish Film Festival, cracked up. Here, finally, a film about the intractable conflict that was not supposed to make them feel guilty, only to make them laugh.
“When you laugh, you forget where you are, who you are, what you are,” Mr. Albuliwi said later. “I think, subconsciously, I’m just trying to make sense of it. I’m talking to the audience, I’m wondering: Why can’t we just figure it out?”“When you laugh, you forget where you are, who you are, what you are,” Mr. Albuliwi said later. “I think, subconsciously, I’m just trying to make sense of it. I’m talking to the audience, I’m wondering: Why can’t we just figure it out?”
There is no shortage of films about what is universally known here as The Situation. Now playing is “Bethlehem,” a feature that chronicles the relationship between an agent of Israel’s intelligence agency and the teenage brother of a Palestinian militant. “Five Broken Cameras,” a documentary detailing weekly demonstrations in the West Bank village of Bil’in, was nominated last year for an Academy Award.There is no shortage of films about what is universally known here as The Situation. Now playing is “Bethlehem,” a feature that chronicles the relationship between an agent of Israel’s intelligence agency and the teenage brother of a Palestinian militant. “Five Broken Cameras,” a documentary detailing weekly demonstrations in the West Bank village of Bil’in, was nominated last year for an Academy Award.
“Peace After Marriage,” a $1 million Turkish-French-American production that has picked up several festival awards, is something different. Titled “Only in New York” in Europe, it is the farcical tale of a 30-year-old Palestinian-American addicted to pornography and masturbation who marries an Israeli desperate for a green card. And, yes, they fall for each other.“Peace After Marriage,” a $1 million Turkish-French-American production that has picked up several festival awards, is something different. Titled “Only in New York” in Europe, it is the farcical tale of a 30-year-old Palestinian-American addicted to pornography and masturbation who marries an Israeli desperate for a green card. And, yes, they fall for each other.
“It’s the first time a Palestinian has exploded that close to an Israeli without causing casualties,” Mr. Albuliwi’s character, Arafat, says the morning after. During the inevitable pregnancy scare, he warns, “You do realize your vagina is now part of the Middle East peace process.”“It’s the first time a Palestinian has exploded that close to an Israeli without causing casualties,” Mr. Albuliwi’s character, Arafat, says the morning after. During the inevitable pregnancy scare, he warns, “You do realize your vagina is now part of the Middle East peace process.”
And when Arafat’s parents inquire about the origins of his new bride, he deadpans: “We call it Palestine — she doesn’t.”And when Arafat’s parents inquire about the origins of his new bride, he deadpans: “We call it Palestine — she doesn’t.”
Born in Jordan, Mr. Albuliwi, 37, moved to Brooklyn as a baby, and on screen he mixes the mannerisms of Jerry Seinfeld with the neuroses of Woody Allen. His home was fairly politics-free, he said, until “Al Jazeera hit the house.”Born in Jordan, Mr. Albuliwi, 37, moved to Brooklyn as a baby, and on screen he mixes the mannerisms of Jerry Seinfeld with the neuroses of Woody Allen. His home was fairly politics-free, he said, until “Al Jazeera hit the house.”
His mother is from a village near Haifa, Israel, though he is fuzzy on when her family fled (probably in 1948).His mother is from a village near Haifa, Israel, though he is fuzzy on when her family fled (probably in 1948).
The family spoke Arabic at home, but Mr. Albuliwi hung out with Italian kids, Latinos, African-Americans. He started doing stand-up at 17, then movies. About five years ago, his mother dragged him to a West Bank refugee camp to find a bride: He married “an Audrey Hepburn-looking Arab,” but fled himself after two days because “her family is a bunch of wackos.”The family spoke Arabic at home, but Mr. Albuliwi hung out with Italian kids, Latinos, African-Americans. He started doing stand-up at 17, then movies. About five years ago, his mother dragged him to a West Bank refugee camp to find a bride: He married “an Audrey Hepburn-looking Arab,” but fled himself after two days because “her family is a bunch of wackos.”
Mr. Albuliwi’s mother recently obtained Jordanian citizenship, he said, because “she’s holding out hope that there’s going to be a peace proposal, and the refugees are going to be compensated.”Mr. Albuliwi’s mother recently obtained Jordanian citizenship, he said, because “she’s holding out hope that there’s going to be a peace proposal, and the refugees are going to be compensated.”
The filmmaker’s solution for The Situation? “Sexual jihad: one big orgy with the Arabs and the Jews, where we release all our hostilities, and I hope I’m right in the middle of it.” After he mentioned this at a screening in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, some journalists canceled interviews. But just showing the movie there, then here, is something.The filmmaker’s solution for The Situation? “Sexual jihad: one big orgy with the Arabs and the Jews, where we release all our hostilities, and I hope I’m right in the middle of it.” After he mentioned this at a screening in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, some journalists canceled interviews. But just showing the movie there, then here, is something.
“My idea for peace is to create comedy,” Mr. Albuliwi said. “My dream is to have Arabs and Jews in big numbers, just laughing at the same time.”“My idea for peace is to create comedy,” Mr. Albuliwi said. “My dream is to have Arabs and Jews in big numbers, just laughing at the same time.”