Interesteg What makes it different from others?

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Seraherrera The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

pjfarley This film takes place in a Bedouin Village in Israel. Suliman has just come home with his second wife. Jalila is not happy about this and is happy to inconvenience the two of them. This is all happening while Jalila's daughter, Layla, is off falling in love with Anuar. This secret love affair is forbidden as Anuar is from a different tribe. Suliman gets in a heated debate with Jalila when he tries to make Layla marry Munir. This leads to Jalila getting very upset and telling Suliman to "Be a man for once!" Suliman becomes very upset and banishes Jalila from their village. I really didn't like this film because it had such a slow pace that I had a very hard time focusing. This may just have been because of the much slower pace of life over in Israel compared to the U.S. One thing that I did like about this film was the message that it delivered about the importance of tradition in this culture. Even though I would've left that village in an instant, Layla stays because it is tradition and she still, even through all of this, does not want to shame her family. I find that very interesting because it is something that is not prevalent in the U.S.

lileonhirth This film is about a young Bedouin girl named Layla who is struggling to become free from old traditions, and trying to keep her love for Lamis a secret. Throughout the majority of this film Layla was trying her hardest to keep Lamis a secret from her family especially her mother. This film was not my favorite film I have watched. This film was extremely slow, and many of the scenes did not grab and hold my attention with something exciting. I like how this film took place in Israel because a few years ago I visited Israel, and I thought it was cool how I could relate to the locations and religion. One major theme in this film was how the main characters did not have much to do. In my opinion this made the film boring because there was not a lot action involved. There was only one conflict in this film which was how Layla was trapped between her secret love and her family. This whole film was tied around one main theme which was choice. I would recommend this film to someone who is not looking for a lot of action or exciting scenes.

ciyao-29248 The film Sand Storm directed by Elite Zexer is a drama different than other drama films I have seen. Since the setting of this film is in Bedouin Village in Israel, their living environment and customs are absolutely different apart from my life. While Jaila is preparing wedding for her husband and his second wife, Jaila's daughter, Layla fells in love. However, when Jaila finds out, she does not want Layla to see her boyfriend again. Layla has ran away, but she stops and still comes back for the arranged marriage her family made for her. I was very touched when I saw the scene of Jaila actually allows Layla to run away. Although Layla's escape is going to damage her family relationships, she still respects her daughter's decision. I think the reason she allows Layla to run away is because Jaila does not like her marriage, and she does not want to put her daughter in the same situation as herself. However, this film as a whole has a very sad atmosphere. I would rate this film a 7 out of 10 because I am not used to the pace of this movie.

LeonardHaid Sand Storm is about a patriarchal social system that hasn't budged much from the dark ages despite the evolution happening all around it, and despite the yearning for change from much of the population, especially the female population. The brilliance of this film, though, is that the filmmaker - Elite Zexer - never ultimately condemns any individuals in the film, demonstrating that the system has taken on a life of its own, and people are ultimately beyond judgment. As Morpheus said in The Matrix, "The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy." Yes, the father is railed against for his seeming inability to think for himself, but rather automatically doing what is expected of him. But he is also portrayed as a loving and reasonable man, and even as a progressive and independent thinker...just not when it comes to his daughter marrying whom she wants to. Yes, young love and young life is quashed by the actions of people - rigid tradition needs people to sustain it - and the anguish that ensues is heartbreaking. But is keeping with tradition the appropriate thing to do in the long run, in the big picture? Everyone - willingly or begrudgingly - seems to accept that it is. Or do they? And whether it is or isn't, what does it matter when there's no choice. Or is there? There is one telling scene between the father and mother, where - despite the tremendous friction between them throughout the film - they share an intimate moment. They share a cigarette, talk comfortingly to each other, and hug, acknowledging then and there that the system is bigger than both of them, and with their hug they silently agree that deferring to it is the only thing that can be done, like it or not. There is no choice. But this is not seen as a tragedy, necessarily. Their world is what it is, and one has to accept that. Or do they? Will the little girl who sees her beautiful, intelligent sister with her new schlemiel of an arranged husband accept that when she's of marrying age? Is she the future Bedouin Neo who will challenge the Matrix?