Join the Washington DC Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Apr 27th at 4:30 pm for Dancing in Jaffa at the Landmark Bethesda Row . Look for Brian F. wearing a “North Face” t-shirt in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.
Pierre Dulaine, four-time ballroom dancing world champion and dedicated teacher, returns to the city of his birth, Jaffa, after decades abroad. He wants to give something back to his homeland and has an impossible dream: to teach Jewish and Palestinian Israeli children to dance together. Enlisting the support of teachers and parents, Pierre persuades 150 reluctant eleven-year-olds from several schools to give his program a try. At first the dance “partners” don’t want to touch-or even look at-each other, but Pierre persists, determined to impart the hidden ballroom skills of decorum, etiquette and, ultimately, respect and trust. Soon the children are two-stepping and tangoing, looking forward to the climactic team dance contest. What occurs is magical and transformative, making Pierre’s dream seem almost possible. With Yvonne Marceau; directed by Hilla Medalia. (Partially subtitled)