Ajami is a gritty and edgy drama set on the mean streets of Jaffa, an area of Tel Aviv with high unemployment and crime rates. It also is a melting pot of ethnic, racial and religious differences. Like Gomorrah, etc, the film follows a number of interwoven story lines and characters, and events are seen from a number of different perspectives.
The crux of the story deals with an act of revenge that sparks a violent war between two crime clans. But the ripples of that act of retribution affect the lives of many within the community, including the innocent. Ajami has been written and directed by Yaron Shani (whose previous film was the short Disphoria) and first time director Palestinian Scandar Copti. The pair has used non-professional actors, which lends a raw and natural feel to the performances. The film's central character is Omar (Shahir Kabaha), is a young Israeli of Arab descent who crosses some gangsters and has to broker a deal to save his family. Part of that deal involves dealing drugs, which leads him into even more troubled waters.
The film's creators suggest that there is no easy solution to the tensions and cultural divide of this area, but still the film holds out hope for the future.
The crux of the story deals with an act of revenge that sparks a violent war between two crime clans. But the ripples of that act of retribution affect the lives of many within the community, including the innocent. Ajami has been written and directed by Yaron Shani (whose previous film was the short Disphoria) and first time director Palestinian Scandar Copti. The pair has used non-professional actors, which lends a raw and natural feel to the performances. The film's central character is Omar (Shahir Kabaha), is a young Israeli of Arab descent who crosses some gangsters and has to broker a deal to save his family. Part of that deal involves dealing drugs, which leads him into even more troubled waters.
The film's creators suggest that there is no easy solution to the tensions and cultural divide of this area, but still the film holds out hope for the future.