A girl singing, violin, clarinet, cello, playing in the street. The crowd is surprised, interested, listening, smiling. Some children are playing with the camera, but most of them are carefully watching the instruments. Soldiers are coming : « - You can't stay, we have to secure the place, you can't stay ! -But this is music : a cello, not a gun ! ». We're in a checkpoint, near Ramallah.
2003. Rani Aburedwan explains his project : to bring music in Palestine. « I spent my childhood to throw stones, it was the first Intifada. But I remember the first time I saw a guy playing the guitar. » He created an association, Al Kamadjati (the violinist) and a camera followed them : from the doubts of the beginning, in 2003 till the opening of a musical school in 2005. In 2 years 30 musician has been invited in Palestine to play and teach music to children.
The two young documentarists have followed the association for a few weeks, in 2003, 2004 and 2005, to show the progress and the evolution of the project. This long time reveal the determination of some musicians, aware of the palestinian condition, and the evolution of what starts as a modest project (play for children) until the creation of a musical school.
Difficulties came from everywhere: Passing checkpoints can take hours, and children are waiting for them in refugees camps, disappointed. The Wall. « I can't imagine what the landscape was before the wall. It looks old, but it was not here last year. » French, German musician who came are disoriented, and have doubts. Many Palestinians asking « are they Jew ? They aren't like us ! », danger is so near !
Some moments of the movie are really stunning, like this girl, 5 years old : « It was beautifully. My father had an instrument when he was alive. Since, it broke and my father is dead ».
This documentary does not show us the preparation, the long organisation needed to bring these classical musicians in the occupied territories. Instead we are with them when they cross the countries, playing in front of children, showing them instruments, giving lessons.
Only one thing is eternal : children smile, and pleasure to listen and play. « I remember, when I came to a camp, I saw the children sketches. There were tanks, guns, and planes throwing bombs. I played, and spent an afternoon with them. I came back a weeks ago. I saw many of them were drawing violins. The tanks had not disappeared, but I hope we can make them understand there is something else. It's important. Some of them were expelled from school by religions : "you are Muslim children, you can't listen music ". Children will remember they liked our music. One day, I hope they will understand some are taking advantage of the situation to control this chaos. ».
Of course, « this is not a gun » is just an association, not here to bring more pain, but to share the joice of music with children who never saw a violin.
About the movie :
* 2006, by Pierre-Nicolas Durand and Hélèna Cotinier
* the association : http://www.alkamandjati.com
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