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Directed by Karin Kainer
Israel, 2010
64 min./Hebrew with English Subtitles
Meet the lost boys of Tel Aviv: the skater-im. These adrenaline junkies forsake jobs, romantic relationships, even a roof over their heads to master the perilous art of skateboarding. The tragic hero of this documentary is Mohammed Kahil, an Israeli-Arab skateboard champion struggling to escape the "ghetto" life and make a home with his Jewish girlfriend, Alina. The charming dreamer runs with a crew who meet in the parking lots, back alleys, median strips and sordid public spaces of Israel’s pleasure capital to perform daring tricks. These boy-men eschew the Israeli ethos of military service, capitalist pursuits and domesticity—and risk bruises, broken bones, public disdain and run-ins with security guards and police—to do what they love most. Featuring an excellent, pulsating soundtrack by Israeli rock star Rami Fortis, the film offers a glimpse of what the culture of skateboarding looks like in the absence of American corporate sponsorship— and the carefree promise of a brighter future. —Hagar Scher
Preceded by Trip to Jaffa, 15 min.
Two Arab brothers share their desire to visit the city their family once called home, but are divided by their motives. One brother wants to buy his girlfriend a ring at the same store his father and grandfather bought rings for their brides. The other wants to get laid. —Hagar Scher
The film A Trip to Jaffa is part of Coffee—Between Reality and Imagination, a cinematic collaboration between young Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers.
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