Ajami

This drama (an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film) consists of five stories situated in Ajami, a mixed community in Tel Aviv, Israel, where Jews, Muslims and Christians attempt—and fail—to live in harmony. It’s the directing debut of Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, and it works not only as a statement on Middle Eastern ethnic divide, but as an effective crime mystery. The five stories are told non-chronologically, with interweaving characters, Pulp Fiction-style. The film grabs you from its opening frames and doesn’t let up, thanks to a documentary feel that places you straight into the proceedings. The performances by mostly non-actors give the movie an authentic feel. It’s a movie in which lives change in an instant, with people suffering major consequences, because of religious beliefs and relations. It takes some work to follow the stories, and some of the many characters distinguish themselves more than others, but overall, it’s an extremely powerful experience.