Rock in the Red Zone

On the edge of Israel’s Negev Desert lies Sderot, a city of factory workers and rock musicians – the children of refugees from North Africa and the Middle East. Despite being pummeled for years by homemade missiles, the people of Sderot persevere. In raucous Moroccan celebrations, they embrace newcomers. In quiet family dinners, they voice their dreams. And in underground bomb shelters, they create music – a unique Sderot sound that has transformed Israeli music by injecting Middle Eastern influences into Western rock. Into this intense cauldron of art, sand and bloodshed comes an American woman with a camera. Searching for a story about music, filmmaker Laura Bialis encounters a creative community that captivates her, leads her to love and changes the course of her life. Featuring stunning vérité footage, Rock in the Red Zone is raw and heartbreaking. Yet the film also inspires hope. Through music, it demonstrates the power of artistic creation to transcend even the most challenging circumstances. It also reminds us that sometimes in the least expected places, we can find magic.