A feature documentary filmed over 21 years, follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie’s epic journey as the dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis including the Chief Rabbis of Israel. He is torn between rejecting and embracing his destiny and becomes a drag-queen rebel, a queer bio-dad and the founder of Lab/Shul—an everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation.
“Sabbath Queen” joins Amichai on a lifelong quest to creatively and radically reinvent religion and ritual, challenge patriarchy and supremacy, champion interfaith love, and stand up for peace, ceasefire, and an end to the Occupation in Israel/Palestine. The film interrogates what Jewish survival means in a difficult rapidly changing 21st century.
Winner of the Best Film award at the 2010 TLVFest, this is one of the most powerful films you’ll see this year.
Director Mladen Djordjevic created a biting commentary on post Milosevic Serbia. This film brings together horror, social and political satire, dark humour and lots of sex and violence.
Local criminals hire Marko, a young, artistic and ambitious filmmaker, to make for them porno films. They don’t really appreciate his artistic approach, and after a violent attack, Marko decides to go underground and travel with a troupe of outcasts who participate in a live pornographic theatre production that travels through conservative Serbian villages.
Warning! Not suitable for the faint of heart!
Viewing is 18+ due to explicit sexual content and violence.
21yo Dylan is a day laborer and a farm hand who works hard to support his family and be a father figure to his younger brother. Dylan is trying to keep on an appearance of stability but there’s something missing in his life. When he gets a temporary job on a communal queer ranch he feels that for the first time he belongs. He finds friends and falls in love. Sky (trans actress Eve Lindley) is a rodeo performer and the partner of the macho ranch owner Pepe. The two are happy to share their bodies with Dylan, but maybe it won’t be enough.
Charlie Plummer shines as the lead with a very natural, quiet and confident performance. Cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi re-imagines the coming-of-age movie against the stunning backdrop of New Mexico. Director Luke Gilford’s debut film is a hallelujah song to the ultimate queer American dream showcasing the real-life International Gay Rodeo Association.
In the mountains of west Georgia, a rural community relies on a pair of cable cars that connect two sides of a steep valley. Iva returns to her home village following the death of a relative and takes up a job operating one of the cable car gondolas. She forms a long distance friendship with Nina, the operator of the other gondola. In time, those aerial meetings turn to naughty flirting between the two young women and then deepen into love.
This strange romance is wordless, but has a very unique and original cinematic vision from writer/director Veit Helmer. It is a delightful piece, very visually pleasing, full of fun and charming cinematic ideas. 82 minutes with no dialogue but with a lot of love for the art of cinema as well as its two wonderful heroines. In “Gondola” love truly floats between heaven and earth, and it is simply a film of pure fun.
8.11 – Before the screening: Musical performance by Tom Schneid
Italian director Alessandro Guida returns with “Mascarpone: The Rainbow Cake”– a sequel that doesn’t fall short from its predecessor.
Antonio and Luca reunite for the first time after three years since the death of their good friend Denis. Luca had to close his bakery, and now works as youth counsellor, with his partner Tancredi, at an LGBTQ youth shelter. Antonio focused on his job and meaningless flings, and is now a celebrity chef. The meeting reignites their special relationship and Antonio realizes, for the first time, what a mistake he’s made leaving Luca behind.
“Mascarpone: The Rainbow Cake” manages to surprise and be a mature film about how to free oneself from the shackles that tie us to the past, so that we can look forwards to the future. The cast is wonderful, the plot is moving and of course there are a few delicious baked treats.
It is not vital to watch the first film in order to enjoy the sequel.
פאנל על המצב של הקולנוענים הלהט”בים הישראלים – גם בארץ וגם בעולם. בהשתתפות: טל גרניט, ניצן גלעדי, מיכאל (מיש) רוזנוב ודניאל אגמון
בהנחיית יאיר הוכנר, מנהל ומייסד הפסטיבל
איך מתמודדים עם ממשלה וכנסת להט”בופובים, החרם התרבותי הבינלאומי והעולם האנטישמי, והאם הקולנוענים בישראל פוחדים להתמודד עם ההשלכות של המלחמה בעזה.
אנחנו שמחים לארח בפסטיבל שתיים מבמאיות הקולנוע המובילות בישראל:
מיכל ויניק – סרטי הקולנוע זוכי הפרסים “ברש”, “ולריה מתחתנת” וגם הסדרה “מי נתן לך רישיון” (יחד עם דניאלה דורון וטליה לביא).)
לי גילת – במאית הסרט זוכה פרסי האופיר “בנות כמונו”, תסריטאית ובמאית של הסרט “הקפות”. תסריטאית בסדרות “טהרן”, “מנייאכ” ועוד.
After many failed election rounds in pre-war Israel, Tom Schneid, the gay creator, rapper and activist decides to run for parliament. “Reshima” (List) is a response to homophobic voices in the Knesset, and was released directly after the infamous anti-LGBTQ political party “Noam” led by Avi Maoz released their “List of known LGBTs in the media” – a brutal campaign against queer people, who were accused of “taking over Israel”.
The song is a diss-track that was released with a full on satirical political campaign.
Amos Guttman (1954-1993) was a filmmaker and a screenwriter, one of the more important auteurs of the Israeli cinema’s young New Wave. His films, such as “Drifting”, “Himmo, King of Jerusalem” and “Amazing Grace” presented the viewers with a new artistic vision, both visual and conceptual. Guttman mostly dealt with topics such as homosexual life, loneliness, alienation and the AIDS pandemic – which he himself succumbed to at the age of 38.
We are proud to present a selection of sketches and works from Guttman’s estate which were donated to the Tel Aviv Cinematheque by his family. The works present a surprising and almost unknown aspect of Guttman the artist – graphic abilities that correspond with his aesthetic approach as it is shown in his cinematic persons of influence. We can also see the private side of Amos Guttman through the birthday card illustration he made for his beloved niece, Maureen.
The works shown are from the Amos Guttman’s collection, the archive of Tel Aviv Cinematheque Library of Cinema.
Israel 2017, 17 min., Hebrew with English subtitles
Just a few steps from downtown Jerusalem is Independence Park. At night, the park transforms into an eccentric empire of prophets. Each character has a complex relationship with God, and all of them are seeking conversation and contact. Equipped with a small camera, the filmmaker walks among them, capturing moments of intimacy and alienation, looking into his own faith in the process.
Director: Alon Reter
Script: Alon Reter
Editor: Barak Cohen
Producer: Alon Reter
With: Alon Reter
