A short film about Israeli and Palestinian falafel vendors won an Academy Award. “West Bank Story,” a musical satire set in the disputed territory, took the Oscar on Sunday night for Best Live-Action Short Film. The director, U.S.-born Ari Sandler, described the film as a love story between an Israeli soldier and a Palestinian cashier whose families have rival falafel businesses. “It’s a movie about peace and hope,” he said. The film’s title is a play on “West Side Story,” the legendary musical about feuding New York gangs.
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