Who wants to marry an astronaut?

A sunny featherweight romantic comedy.
David is a dopey hopeless romantic with a hippy mother and a best friend who also works for him.
After fifteen years of living together, on an impulse, he decides to ask his partner to marry him in Las Vegas. His anticipation for the dream wedding and trip is crushed when his partner’s answer is ‘No’. David decides to power through with his plans and now he has ten days to find the knight in shining armor that will marry him in Las Vegas.
The story is inspired by true events from the director’s own life.


In association with the Embassy of Spain

Bad Education

20th anniversary of the film “Bad Education”

It has been 20 years since the debut premiere of “Bad Education” at the Cannes Film Festival – here is Almodovar at his most authentic, daring, trashy and full of love for the art of cinema. This movie, which is also a tribute to Film Noir, is all about schemes, forbidden desires, suspicions and erupting passions that ruin every good thing in their path.
This is Pedro Almodovar’s most personal film that is loosely based on his own childhood. Its script had been stashed away for a decade before Almodovar dared to shoot it.

Enrique and Ignacio, who went to the same catholic school where they discovered their sexuality and fell in love, meet 15 years later. One has become a successful film director, while the other is an actor that will do anything to make it big. Together they create a film about their experiences at the catholic school and the sexual abuse they’ve endured at the hands of priests, and about the revenge that is sure to come. But as Film Noir go, nothing is to be taken for granted.
Mexican film star Gael García Bernal (“Love Bites”, “Y tu madre tambien”) steps into the high-heeled shoes of classic Hollywood stars such as Barbara Stanwyck, Rita Hayworth and many other legends. This talented actor jumps from one character to the next, from one time period to another, and gives his whole soul to an amazing and unforgettable performance.


In association with the Embassy of Spain

To Live, to Die, to Live Again

Renowned French director Gaël Morel’s new beautiful and moving film had its World Premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Victor Belmondo (“Lie with Me”) and Théo Christine (“My Best Part”) star in a moving and surprising drama that brings a complicated love triangle to the big screen.
Emma loves Sammy, who also loves Cyril, who loves him back. What starts as a non-conventional threesome in the early 90’s, takes a turn with the rise of the AIDS pandemic and with it an unexpected twist that will change the lives of all three, and will lead them to face a new world full of challenges and fears.
The film also features gay icon Amanda Lear.

Gaël Morel was TLVFest’s guest in 2012 with his film “Our Paradise”.


In association with the Embassy of France

Block Pass

A breathtaking drama that was shown during the Critics Week at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Queer Palm award.
Director Antoine Chevrollier’s first full length feature explores masculinity and sexuality in rural France, and particularly in Longué-Jumelles, the director’s home town, where the film was shot.
Willy and Jojo are best friends, sharing a joint passion for motorcycles. Jojo is a motorcycle racing driver on the way to become famous in the scene and Willy is there to help him live his dream.
When a secret from Jojo’s past is revealed, his fast track to fame crumbles. The two friends embark on a self discovery journey neither of them wanted.
Young stars of the film, Amaury Foucher and Sayyid El Alami, present impressive, authentic and brave performances.

Contains depictions of homophobia and self harm.


In association with the Embassy of France

Summer Qamp

Summer Qamp” is a documentary following a group of young LGBTQ people in an idyllic summer camp by a lake in Alberta, Canada, where the young campers enjoy the traditional camp experience, but in a safe and accepting environment.
Camp fYrefly is stationed deep in a green forest and is a summer refuge for teens on the LGBTQ spectrum, far from a hostile environment, in a place where they can give fly to their queerness and their gender identity.
The film invites the viewers to meet the guides as well as the young campers, all of whom are willing to share the challenges they face and what had led them to this particular camp in remarkable and moving honesty.


In association with the Embassy of Canada

“Drifting (Nagu’a)” & show by Aviv Shriki

Before the screening: short musical performance by Aviv Shriki – songs inspired by Amos Guttman’s work.

Amos Guttman’s debut film is a groundbreaking cinematic piece and considered to be the first Israeli feature film that deals directly and seriously with the subject of gay men in Israel.
Robi lives with his grandmother and works in her grocery shop. Robi has two obsessions – men and movies. All his sexual encounters are channeled towards fulfilling his dream – becoming a film director.


This movie is part of Amos Guttman Retrospective


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Taboo: Amos Guttman

After the screening – conversation with the creators.

While alive, Amos Guttman was a “red flag” for Israel’s conservative film establishment. As a gay filmmaker, he created the nation’s first films on the subject. Guttman aimed to make films for the few, yet he also wanted global connections — films that Derek Jarman or Pedro Almodóvar could watch by chance and feel understood. Unfortunately, Guttman had time to make only four features and four short films before dying of AIDS.
Taboo: Amos Guttman” uses excerpts from his very last interview and other, previously unseen materials, letting historical materials tell his story and reevaluate his choices on and off the set.


This movie is part of Amos Guttman Retrospective

Jacob de Haan: A Voice Out of Time

After the screening: conversation with the creators.

The death of Jacob Israel de Haan is commemorated annually by both the ultra-Orthodox Jews of ‘Neturei Karta’ in Jerusalem, and the LGBTQ community in Amsterdam. He is a pioneer for both. In the early 20th century he published the first LGBTQ novel in the Netherlands. He then returned to his Jewish roots, migrated to Palestine as a Zionist, but eventually became the spokesperson for the Orthodox community, spearheading its fight against Zionism. He was still publishing queer poetry in Dutch. He was killed in Jerusalem in 1924, and his assassins were never caught. Today, never-before-heard audio recordings shed new light upon the mystery of the first Zionist political assassination.

“The Binding” – Closing Film

World Premiere!

Life partners Eyal Kantor and Yoav Keren are without a doubt the most prolific queer independent filmmakers in Israel at the moment. TLVfest’s closing film is their newest feature – “The Binding”. Be prepared for one of the most daring gay films ever made in Israel.

Benjamin’s life is about to change when Avinoam (Shimon Mimran), his religious boss, comes to his aid. Under Avinoam’s wing Binjamin finds a safe place until an unexpected event will force the two to spend a Shabbos together and will bring to the surface dark secrets from their past.
The Binding” is a gay suspense drama that deals with some very relevant issues, such as conversion therapy and religious oppression.

Viewing is 18+ due to explicit sexual content and violence.

“Jerusalem Is Proud to Present” & Panel

After the screening, a panel will take place with 3 LGBTQ activists from different cities –
Reut Nagar (Tel Aviv), Shiri Bar-On (Mitzpe Ramon) & Nava Dissentshik (Rosh Haayin), hosted by the film creator Nitzan Gilady.

In the summer of 2006, Jerusalem was to host, for the first time in history, the World Pride events, which were to culminate in a traditional gay pride parade. The planned events stirred turmoil in the politically complex city, with Jewish, Muslim and Christian religious leaders banding together in an uncompromising battle against what they said would “defile the holy city”. On the other side stood the activists of the Open House, Jerusalem’s LGBT community center, who planned the events. Steadfast in the face of the heated and violent anti-gay sentiment, they had to deal with threats to much more than just their right to march.