The Flying Camel

Running time: N/A

The Flying Camel is a delightful comedy following the touching, and often tenuous, friendship between three unlikely misfits. The problems between Israeli Jews and Arabs aren't so big as to keep Bauman, a Jewish professor, and Phares, an Arab garbage collector-slash-engineer, from working together on a joint project, each with their own agenda. Old Bauman lives alone in a junkyard shack, surrounded by a pitiful collection of garbage, junk, and a few architectural gems. As an homage to his father, a once well-known architect, Bauman intends to restore a statue that once stood atop one of his father's buildings--The Flying Camel. Phares, an engineer by trade and a garbage collector by circumstance, also becomes interested in working on the Flying Camel; his reasons being quite different. Years ago his father owned the very property where Bauman's junkyard is today, and it contained a beautiful orange orchard. By working with Bauman, Phares sees a way to pay homage to his own father by eventually replanting the orange orchard. Bauman is burdened with acquaintances who mistrust his dealing with an Arab, and Phares has his own problems dealing with the hard-headed Bauman. Both, however, are equally disarmed by the appearance of Gina, a beautiful young nun who helps them see the important value of their own friendship. --Jeffrey Vargas