I examine the piloting of an educational tool - an Arabic-speaking documentary film entitled `Aysha' - in a Bedouin community in Israel, where consanguinity increases the prevalence of genetic diseases. Textual analysis of the film's changing script versions demonstrates how the dilemma of modern biomedical goals and local Bedouin tradition was reconciled in the film's narrative. Focus groups conducted with 61 teachers and 40 Bedouin pupils illustrate a split between dependence on family and tradition alongside a positive view of the film's message. Four main topics were covered: authenticity and efficiency; consanguinity; genetic tests and carrier matching; and abortion. The conclusion discusses the film in the broader context of tradition and modernization, gender relations and the complex positioning involved in implementing and evaluating health-related intervention programs.
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