Waltz with Bashir

Waltz with Bashir is one of Dominique's favorite movies because it is so multi-faceted, it is a film rich for analysis. Waltz With Bashir is an animated documentary; the animation resembles a graphic novel. The documentary follows the director, Ari Folman, as he journeys to discover what really happened in the Sabra and Shatila massacre. Folman was a part of the Israeli army in the Lebanese Civil War. There are, of course, limitations with the way this film understands the Isreali-Palestinian-Lebanese conflicts, but it's a fascinating piece of culture nevertheless.

MoviesDominique LearMarch 14, 2020Israel, Powerful, Thought-Provoking, Documentary

A-WA

The all-female Yemenite-Israeli group A-WA blasted onto the world stage in 2016 with their single "Habib Galbi"—"Love of My Heart"—which layered the haunting vocal harmonies of a traditional Yemeni love song over synthesized riffs and hip-hop beats. This hypnotic banger and its accompanying surrealist video immediately went viral across the Arab world, and it became the first-ever song in Arabic to top the Israeli pop charts. Now, the three sisters behind A-WA have released their second full studio album, Bayti fi Rasi. Just like "Habib Galbi," it's a mix between traditional music and cutting-edge pop, big and playful and always danceable.

MusicDominique LearMarch 14, 2020Yemen, Israel