Neither kosher nor halal
It’s rare to find a film coming out of Israel or the Palestinian territories that explores the communities and issues there in a truly light-hearted way. When Pigs Have Wings, screening tonight at the Denver Jewish Film Festival, manages to do so.
When down-and-out Gazan fisherman Jafar makes an unexpected catch of the day, he comes into unexpected contact with foreign aid workers and Israelis living a neighboring settlement. You see, what Jafar pulls up from the depths of the Mediterranean is a fully-grown pig – strictly not Halal.
What is Jafar to do?
What follows is a bit of slapstick comedy, which includes Jafar coming into contact with Russian Jews on a neighboring settlement (the setting predates the Israeli withdrawal), trying to peddle his ware to a German UN official, a somewhat inexplicable stint as a suicide bomber, and even a few photos of the Muppets’ Miss Piggy.
Amid the humor, When Pigs Have Wings does touch on some areas of the conflict, such as the impact of the presence of IDF soldiers on Palestinian civilians. And though it ends on an unrealistic and even fantastical note, When Pigs Have Wings is unique in its ability to elicit laughter from an area – and situation – not often associated with humor.
Event details, including screening time, on the IJN’s Online Community Calendar
