West Bank Story (2005)

Director:

Ari Sandel

Writers:

Kim Ray (written by) and
Ari Sandel (written by)

Genre:

Short | Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

a little singing, a little dancing, a lot of hummus.

Plot:

A musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands on the West Bank...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Palestinian | West Bank | Israeli | Star Crossed Lovers

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins

Cast

Ben Newmark	...	David
Noureen DeWulf	...	Fatima
A.J. Tannen	...	Ariel
Joey Naber	...	Ahmed
Haguy Wigdor	...	Ruvik
Oren Rehany	...	Uri
Nicholas Massouh	...	Mustafa
Will Greenberg	...	Shlomo
Sharif Abrams	...	Mahmoud / Masked Palestinian with I.D. (as Shareef Abrams)
Daniella Diezba	...	Ludmila
Keith Lal	...	Mohammed
Assaf Cohen	...	Menorah Mickey
Raymond Del Barrio	...	Bruce (as Ramon del Barrio)
Anthony Shams	...	Palestinian Costumer
Roger Marks	...	Israeli Customer
Hershel Remer	...	Rabbi with Torah / Fiddler on Roof
Jillian Schmitz	...	Dancer
Chelsea Hackett	...	Dancer
Monica Flores	...	Dancer
Shaby Akhavi	...	Dancer
Alan Wall	...	Dancer
Karim Cheikh Ali	...	Dancer
Meyra Cordova	...	Dancer
Leslie Stevens	...	Dancer
Paige Harman	...	Dancer (as Paige Harmon)
David McGee	...	Dancer
Jessica Onorato	...	Dancer (as Jessica Onorado)
Vera Wagman	...	Dancer
Murray Phillips	...	Dancer
Eric George	...	Dancer
Zack Gray	...	Dancer
Amber Ione	...	Dancer
Carey Ysais	...	Dancer
Paulette Ysais	...	Dancer
Nicole Sullivan	...	Dancer
Heather Lipson	...	Dancer
Paul A. Brown	...	Dancer
Amick Byram	...	David (singing voice)
Anita Vasan	...	Fatima (singing voice)
Steven Memel	...	Ariel (singing voice)
Ahmed El-Asmer	...	Ahmed (singing voice) (as Ahmed El Asmer)
Peter Pergelides	...	Background Singer (voice)
Eric Butler	...	Background Singer (voice)
Roger Crenshaw	...	Background Singer (voice)
Ayana Haviv	...	Background Singer (voice)
Stormy	...	Camel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeffrey Tedmori	...	Kid in Restaurant (uncredited)

Directed by
Ari Sandel

Writing credits
Kim Ray		(written by) and
Ari Sandel		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Boland	....	co-producer
Jeff Couch	....	associate producer
Ashley Jordan	....	producer
Amy S. Kim	....	producer (as Amy Kim)
Ravi Malhotra	....	producer
Kim Ray	....	associate producer
Ari Sandel	....	producer
Pascal Vaguelsy	....	producer

Original Music by
Yuval Ron

Cinematography by
Gavin Kelly

Film Editing by
Avi Youabian

Casting by
Steve Helgoth

Production Design by
Alethea Root

Art Direction by
Nathan Morse

Set Decoration by
Rebecca Keeling

Costume Design by
Luellyn Harper

Makeup Department
Inbal Bitan	....	assistant makeup artist
Jacque Carroll	....	assistant makeup artist
Jordan Forward-Sanchez	....	key hair stylist
Jordan Forward-Sanchez	....	key makeup artist
Samara Pena	....	assistant makeup artist
Tracy Snyder	....	assistant makeup artist
Jill Ventimiglia	....	makeup/hair department head

Production Management
Bryan Cohen	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Winnie Chong	....	second assistant director
Adam Lawson	....	first assistant director
Kate Pavri	....	second second assistant director
Laure Py	....	second second assistant director
Victoria Wong	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Phillip Boutte Jr.	....	property master (as Phil Boutte)
Johnny Cloeman	....	storyboard artist
Bryan Cohen	....	set dresser
Claire Cottrell	....	set dresser
Alex Dai	....	storyboard artist
Michael Dalman	....	carpenter
Kristen Flores	....	on-set dresser (as Kristen Ridgway)
Charles Garven	....	leadman
Scott Gerard	....	carpenter (as Scott Jerard)
Leighanne Haddock	....	art coordinator
Jason Hirano	....	lead swing
Tiffani Hunt	....	set dresser
Kami Laprade	....	set dresser
David Le Barron	....	carpenter (as David LeBarron)
Trevor Lincoln	....	set dresser
Michael O'Grady Moriarty	....	art department (as Michael Moriarty)
Michael O'Grady Moriarty	....	lead swing (as Michael Moriarty)
Dave Moses	....	graphic designer
Erik Mulet	....	carpenter
Patrick O'Riley	....	swing gang
Ryanah Peterson	....	set dresser (as Ryanah Petersen)
Heather Roberts	....	set dresser
Shawn Rodriguez	....	swing gang (as Sean Rodriguez)
Jessi Ruge	....	set dresser
Michael Shoemaker	....	carpenter
Hillel Chaim Smith	....	swing gang (as Hillel Smith)
Heather Rose Wagner	....	set dresser (as Heather Wagner)
Gary Warshaw	....	carpenter
Daniel Wheeler	....	leadman
Daniel Wheeler	....	scenic painter
Meredith Riley Worden	....	set dresser (as Meredith Riley)

Sound Department
Sam C. Lewis	....	adr recordist
Sam C. Lewis	....	foley recordist
Michael J. McDonald	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Michael McDonald)
Michael J. McDonald	....	supervising sound editor (as Michael McDonald)
Richard Mercado	....	sound
Bob Packo	....	sound mixer
John Sanacore	....	foley mixer
Alex Ullrich	....	foley artist
Brad Whitcanack	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Wayne Beauchamp	....	pyrotechnician
P. David Miller	....	pyrotechnician

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Armstrong	....	second assistant camera
Matthew Barbor	....	gaffer
Eduardo Barraza	....	grip
Brad Budde	....	grip
Eric Chance	....	electrician
Jacquie Coe	....	camera production assistant
Shannon Davis	....	grip
Rick Favazzo	....	crane operator (as Richard 'Fuzzy' Favazzo)
Eliott Freeman	....	crane operator
J.J. Gerber	....	second assistant camera
Craig Gleason	....	key grip
Brent Hansen	....	electrician (as Brent M. Hansen)
Tom Howard	....	key grip
Chris Hughes	....	best boy electric
Christopher Ivins	....	Steadicam operator (as Chris Ivins)
Daron Keet	....	first assistant camera
Erwin Landau	....	Steadicam operator
Joe Large	....	electrician
Sunny Lee	....	grip
David Legois	....	film loader
Jared Leunis	....	electrician
Paul Maletich	....	first assistant camera
BJ McDonnell	....	Steadicam operator (as Billy John McDonnell)
Nate Murphy	....	grip department production assistant
Albert Page	....	camera production assistant
Nick Peterson	....	grip
Jeremy Schonwald	....	electrician
Jordan Slovin	....	electrician
Dale Tibor	....	grip
William S. White	....	first assistant camera (as William White)
Sean P. Neelon	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Janet Campbell	....	casting associate
Sasha Adkinson	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patty Malkin	....	costumer
Kari Smith	....	costumer
Ivy Thaide	....	assistant costume designer
Kacy Treadway	....	costume builder

Editorial Department
Wade Felker	....	film-to-tape colorist
Stephen Thurston	....	additional editor

Music Department
Leo Flynn II	....	music preparation
Zinovy Goro	....	musician: clarinetist
Kim Ray	....	lyricist
Ari Sandel	....	lyricist
Paul Taylor	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Alan Kaminsky	....	transportation

Other crew
Dan Abrams	....	set production assistant
Whitney Alexander	....	set production assistant
Dana Archer	....	publicist
Angela Bickell	....	set production assistant
Temsy Chen	....	production assistant
Jacquie Coe	....	set production assistant
Bill Davis	....	weapons specialist
Raymond Del Barrio	....	choreographer
Claire Doré	....	animal wrangler
Claire Doré	....	goat handler
Alex Edelman	....	set production assistant
Paige Harman	....	assistant to director
Mohammed Hassan	....	production assistant
Ignatius Lin	....	production assistant
Bryan Miller	....	set production assistant
Jillian Schmitz	....	assistant choreographer
Edward Shen	....	set production assistant
Danielle Snowdon	....	script supervisor
Matt Warren	....	set production assistant

Thanks
Carla Blair	....	special thanks
Summer Lopez	....	special thanks
Sarah Ripard	....	special thanks

Distributors

• Magnolia Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Magnolia Pictures (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sundance Channel (2008) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Private Island Audio  post-production sound services

Runtime:

21 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (Digital)

Quotes:

Ahmed:Your side of the screen is encroaching on my side of the screen.
Ariel:No. You are clearly tainting my side of the screen.
Ahmed:Excuse me? Its *my* side of the screen!
Ahmed, Ariel:[simultaneously] You back up and start listening to me! You're *clearly* tainting my side of the screen!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

sparkling, spirited satire

Although it lasts just 22 minutes, "West Bank Story" does a beautiful job of entertaining and educating the audience. The backdrop of the West Bank is a perfect setting for this poignant, playful take on the traditional "Romeo and Juliet" story. It is clear that all involved with this film paid great attention to detail; from the costumes to the cinematography to the conversations, every element is vividly and engagingly conveyed. The satirical spins on Shakespeare, the musical genre, the ongoing political and ideological conflicts in the Middle East, and even the fast food industry make this a must-see. "WBS" was one of the true highlights of Sundance 2005...kudos to cast and crew on a job very well done. I made sure I was one of the first in line to add this short to my collection when it was released on DVD!