Hummus Curry | חומוס קארי

Documentary, 2007, 58min, Hebrew-English-Hindi, English subtitles (Hebrew version here)

Broadcaster: Channel 8, Israel
Producers: Yariv Mozer, Mozer Films & Arik Bernstein, Alma Films
Editor: Yuval Erez
Directors: Noam Pinchas & Yoni Zigler

For many years now, traveling to India has been a rite of passage in Israeli life. We hear so much about the Israelis in India that we sometimes forget there are actually Indians living there.

Hummus Curry offers an intimate look into the lives of the local Indians living in a small village packed with Israeli tourists. Up in the Himalaya Mountains resides the village of Bhagsu, the rainiest place in all of India. During the hard winter the rain never stops & Bhagsu does not get a whiff of tourism

Kala Kumar (28), feeling bored, spends the slow monsoon days with his family, doing little within the fresh brick walls of his new guesthouse. In April the sun comes out for the first time and Bhagsu is awakened to life. Another season starts and the village is flooded with Israeli backpackers once again.

Shoresh Singh (22) buzzes around the many Israelis filling his small shack, serving them the famous Israeli dish – ‘Jachnon-Hamin’. Just like the average Israeli, he never stops complaining about his business, speaking in broken Hebrew, quoting lines taken from Israeli cult movies he’s never seen.

In one of the restaurants we meet Gopal Sharma (29), a charming waiter who gets along easily with the Israeli girls, especially with Shirley, with whom he’s flirting at the restaurant’s counter. Is there a chance for a love affair between the Hummus and the Curry or will Shirley lose her courage and leave just like the others?

Will Shoresh win the battle against the local Jewish missionaries in the war of who will host the greatest Israeli New-Year’s dinner?
How does the presence of the new houseguests affect Kala & his family, especially the relationship between him and his newly wed wife – a relationship that slowly unfolds during the film?

Hummus Curry contains no interviews and the presence of the camera goes unfelt. This viewing experience takes us through intimate, funny and moving scenes that surprise the viewers time and time again. Rain drops turn into tear drops and we are given a unique opportunity to see the Israeli culture, through the eyes of the Indians.

“An amazingly beautiful and touching film” (Yair Garbuz, Channel 2)

“Hits the spot, extremely funny and exceptional… don’t miss.” (Yoni Smash, Kol Ha’zman)

“It’s a documentary, it’s Israeli, but despite these two qualities that usually predict a depressing result, it’s a light film filled with humor.” (Assaf Shnider, Maariv)

“Succeeds in bringing an honest and not always photogenic picture of the Israeli traveller abroad.” (Tigal Nassi, City Mouse)

“Without commentary, with almost no editing tricks and with lots of passive observation, each one of the viewers can choose what to take away with them.” (EV Lerer, Ynet)

“An especially charming film. Quite and loud, hard and soft, not spiritual at all and yet so spiritual… I was crying with laughter or was laughing with sadness… A film that shouldn’t be missed.” (Adit Punk, Nrg)

“This beautiful movie offers a sorrowful interpretation of the state of the Israeli in the world” (Yoram Kanyuk, Yedioth Ahronoth)

http://hummuscurry.com

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