The Midnight Orchestra

As a child, Michael Botbol is forced to flee Morocco with his famous musician father, Marcel – leader of a popular band – without explanation. Many years later, having made good in America as a trader, Michael returns to Paris to meet with his father, with whom he had become estranged. His father dies suddenly, leaving Michael swirling in a whirlpool of guilt, confusion, anger and yet a strong sense of duty.

Seeking out his father’s former band mates, Michael discovers a common thread of resentment  spurred by bewilderment over why Marcel suddenly and silently fled Morocco and effectively ended everyone’s career.

The Midnight Orchestra is a wonderfully scripted, beautifully filmed exploration of complex relationships; poignant one moment, surprisingly hilarious the next. The cast is an assortment of personalities who, in a lesser film, might have been mere caricatures but are instead real and relatable. Ali, the Arab taxi driver becomes an unlikely and wonderfully funny side kick to lapsed Jew Michael. The two rabbi’s and two community reps provide vaudevillian style repartee, worked in seamlessly with Michael’s unflinching straight-man calm.

This is on the festival “don’t miss” list. (RB)

★★★★

Until Nov 23. Jewish International Film Festival, Event Bondi and Hayden Orpheum Cremorne. Tickets & info: www.jiff.com.au

BY RITA BRATOVICH