About Centerpiece Film & Concert

NOTE: Intros 8:45 PM | Film 9 PM | Concert 10:15-10:45 PM

On the edge of the Negev Desert, half a mile from Gaza, lies Sderot, a town of factory workers and rock musicians. Despite being pummeled for years by Hamas rockets, the people of Sderot persevere—and many turn to music for solace. Gathered in their bomb shelters, they create a unique Sderot sound that fuses their African and Middle Eastern roots and has transformed the landscape of Israel’s thriving musical scene.

American filmmaker Laura Bialis (REFUSENIKS, SJFF 2008) headed to this unique land of art, sand, and turmoil because she’d “always heard that good music comes from hard places.” But as a three-week shoot evolves into a two-year stay, Bialis found a lot more than music. She encountered a community that captivated her, led her to love, and changed the course of her life.

Brimming with humor, drama, and romance, ROCK IN THE RED ZONE paints a compelling portrait of Sderot’s charismatic personalities in this powerful and poignant film about how creativity often comes from the darkest, most mystifying places.

Special Guest Performance

Avi Vaknin is a singer, composer, writer and music producer, born and raised in Sderot, Israel. His critically acclaimed debut album Square of the Lost was published in the summer of 2008. Music critic Amos Oren wrote: “A pearl in a sea of attempts by unknown artists. Vaknin has a unique voice that sounds rough and angelic, with fragile vocals and delightful melodies, with ethnic colors and soul music.” For ten years, Vaknin managed Sderock, a music club and rehearsal space for teenagers that cultivates young artists in Sderot.

Director Bio

Laura Bialis is an award‐winning documentary filmmaker. Laura’s critically acclaimed documentary REFUSENIKS (SJFF 2008), was theatrically released. VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: STORIES FROM KOSOVO (2008) was used by the European Union and NATO to train its staff working in the rebuildig of Kosovo. TAK FOR ALT (1999) was honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as “one of the outstanding films of 1999.”

Sponsor:

• Eye Society Bellevue

Community Partner:

• Henry M. Jackson Foundation