Winner of The Sutherland Trophy: Ajami

Ajami is a tough Jaffa neighborhood, populated with Jews, Arabs and Christians, and rife with tension. Omar (Shahir Kabaha) and his younger brother Nasri (Fouad Habash) fear repercussions against their family when their uncle shoots a member of an influential criminal clan. They can end the vendetta by paying a substantial cash tribute to the offended family, and need to raise the money fast. Palestinian refugee Malek (Ibrahim Frege) is also desperate for money, for an operation his mother needs, and works illegally at a restaurant. Binj (Scandar Copti) has had enough of the place and his friends, and dreams of leaving so he might live openly with his Jewish girlfriend. Cop Dando (Eran Naim) is haunted by the disappearance of his brother, who went missing while on military service. As more is revealed about the characters' lives, angers and frustrations, their fates become drawn together. The fact that Ajami – a powerful crime drama set on the mean streets of Israel – is a collaboration between two young directors, Scandar Copti, a Palestinian, and Yaron Shani, an Israeli, serves as a statement in itself. Working with a non-professional cast and using a daring narrative structure, Copti and Shani have created an assured and authentic film of genuine class.

Michael Hayden