Comedy 2025 Archives

Panel + Screening of “Dick Tracy”

Celebrating 35 years since the release of the film “Dick Tracy” with a panel of experts, led by festival head Yair Hochner. The panel will try to answer the question of why Madonna is a pop culture icon, and specifically a gay icon?

Participating in the panel are:
Amir Kaminer, film critic and culture journalist who interviewed Madonna multiple times
Dana Kessler, journalist and artistic director of the Soundtrack film festival
Michal Shapira, singer and actress
Kay Long, drag artist

“Dick Tracy” might just be the most colourful and musical comic book movie of all time. Warren Beatty enlisted for his film the help of Stephen Sondheim, the composer and lyricist of many musicals, such as “Company”, “A Little Music Night”, “Sweeney Todd”, “Into the Woods”, “Sunday in the Park with George”, “Assassins” and “Follies”. His career started with writing the lyrics for the musicals “West Side Story” and “Gypsy”. “Dick Tracy” is half a musical film, which earned Sondheim an Academy Award for Best Original Song for his work on the film. The songs are performed by the icon, singer, actress, director and Kabbalah aficionado – Madonna.

The plot is very simple: “Dick Tracy” is a detective battling against “Big Boy” Caprice, the head of the mafia, portrayed by Al Pacino with heavy makeup. Madonna portrays a pleasant bar singer named Mahoney, who is romantically involved with Big Boy. Aside from them, a number of famous actors appear in this film for mere moments, with or without heavy makeup, from the likes of Dustin Hoffman, James Keane, Charles Durning, William Forsythe, Seymour Cassel, Paul Sorvino, Mandy Patinkin, Catherine O’Hara, James Keane, Kathy Bates and Dick Van Dyke. The film was shot by the artist Vittorio Storaro (“Apocalypse Now”, “Reds”, “The Last Emperor”), and has a bold visual style which attempts to be as faithful as possible to the aesthetic of the original comic strips.

“Dick Tracy” was nominated for a total of nine Academy Awards, including: Best Supporting Actor for Pacino’s performance, and won in three categories: Best Original Song, Best Makeup and Best Art Direction.

Courtesy of Disney+

Touch Me

Director and screenwriter Addison Heimann’s second film is a provocative and camp horror comedy, imaginative and crazy in the best way possible. This is a love song to the weird and sexual Japanese cinema of the 60’s and 70’s- the ground on which films such as “In the Realm of the Senses” grew upon.

“Touch me” dares to touch such subjects as mental health, desire and sexual abandonment but does not lose its humor for a second. Two best friends are depending on each other and get addicted to the heroin-like touch of a narcissistic alien with a craving for human flesh who may or may not want to take over the world.

Director and screenwriter Addison Heimann, whose first film “Hypochondriac” was screened at the 2022 TLVFest, comes back with a weirder, crazier and more brilliant second film. The result is a sexy and wonderfully bloody dream.

This film is limited to ages 18 and above since it’s a sexy and bloody extravaganza that you couldn’t get enough of.

The Best Friend

Closing the TLVFest with a smile!

After a crisis with his partner, Lucas (Vinícius Teixeira) goes alone to the quiet beach of Canoa Quebrada in Brazil, where he reconnects with Felipe (Gabriel Fuentes) , an old classmate who works as a tour guide. Their reunion brings to the surface feelings that were buried deep and forces Lucas to face a dilema- go back to his current relationship or surrender to an old passion?

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of the beach, and a soundtrack laced with hits of the 80’s and 90’s, this film is a celebration of love, self discovery and the beauty of the north-east coast of Brazil.

Hocus Pocus

Disney’s classic comedy in a special Halloween screening- it doesn’t get merrier than this!

In 1693 the three Sanderson sisters- Winifred, Mary and Sarah (Bette Midler, Kathey Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker) were sentenced to death in Salem, Massachusetts for witchcraft and were accused of stealing the life-force of a young girl named Emily Binx.

Before their execution Winifred casts a curse that will allow them to return to life if a virgin boy will light the black flame of the cursed candle in their home.

300 years go by until Max Dennison (Omri Katz) and his family move to Salem. During Halloween, in an effort to impress a girl Max accidentally brings the Sanderson sisters back from the dead- and once again they want to suck the ‘life force’ out of the town’s children in order to gain eternal life.

Courtesy of Disney+

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was not a big success when it came out in 1992, but over the years it had gained a loyal crowd thanks to the over-the-top camp humor and its self aware interpretation of the vampire genre. This cinematic experiment resonated with fans who appreciated its unique tone- it was the first time a vampire movie was laced into a camp high school comedy that played brilliantly with the cliches of the genres. The fact that the heroine is a blond cheerleader who kills vampires in all sorts of imaginative ways was quite surprising for the early 90’s.

The huge success of the TV series that followed helped a lot to keep the franchise alive, of course, and despite the very different tone of the TV show, its popularity helped elevate the film’s status as well.

If you don’t blink you might catch Ricki Lake as a disgruntled waitress, Ben Affleck as a basketball player and Alexis Arquette as a vampire DJ.

Courtesy of Disney+

Queens of the Dead

A wild night at a party in a Brooklyn club that specializes in bigger than life drag shows and queens. The party planner is stressing out hoping that everything will go according to plan, but even she cannot imagine that her biggest problem is going to be an unexpected zombie attack!

In order to survive the night, the bigger than life drag queens, the club’s staff and a gallery of colorful partygoers must put their differences and rivalry aside.

In her directorial debut Tina Romero, daughter of horror icon George A. Romero, adds to the genre her father created plenty of glam, camp and glitter. “Queens of the Dead” honors Romero senior’s legacy but also reinvent it. The film is full of dark humor, LGBTQ pride and a powerful message on how a united community and self-empowerment can overcome pretty much everything in life.

This film has some seriously kick-ass cast led by lesbian star Katy O’Brian (“Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning”, “The Mandalorian”) alongside Jack Haven (“I saw the TV Glow”), Ricky Lindhome (“Knives Out”), Nina West (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Dominique Jackson (“Pose”, “American Gods”), Chayenne Jackson (“American Horror Story”, “Glee”) and standup comedian Margaret Cho. Also starring is horror legend Tom Savini who collaborated with George Romero on several films such as “Dawn of the Dead” and “Land of the Dead”.

The Black Hole

A feminist rom-com which is also a type of trash horror movie and 80’s style erotic movie that includes sci-fi and grotesque aliens as well.

In a small Estonian town, three stories converge: Sirje and her friend voluntarily sign up for a scientific experiment away from earth. Jüri falls for his lascivious neighbour. Uma, a fearless bodybuilder, dreams of a world without abusive men so that she could help her partner Marillis. Along the way the characters will have to deal with aliens, a giant spider and an Austrian door to door salesman of vacuums who always wears shorts.

The clever and multi layered script written by director Moonika Siimets provocs thoughts of the reality in which we live in and at the same time provide us with a cinematic piece that is pure fun.

Rains Over Babel

Babel is a legendary nightclub that is an oasis to anyone who is queer, freak and different in town. La Flaca is Death herself that resides in the club, and she plays with the lost souls that gamble with her through the years. Will they be able to win against death herself?

Director Gala Del Sol’s first full length feature is an intoxicating fusion of alternative tropic dream and modern-day Columbia. Del Sol creates a hypnotic and fantastic world where life and death clash and destinies are rolled with dice. The sexiest of casts is portraying sparkling characters that takes us to a journey full of life which is all wild subversion where each and every one of them fights their own demons and it’s all happening in a retro-punk-futuristic-colorful style full of passion.

“Rains Over Babel” is an ode to the resilience of queer characters from the fringes of society that are fighting for one thing- to be themselves without fear.

The result is sexy, sparkly, daring and ambitious cinema that promises an unforgettable experience.

In association with the Instituto Cervantes

Odd Fish

Please be aware – the screening at 31/10/2025 is NOT in Tel-Aviv Cinematheque.

Set against the breathtaking scenery of frozen Iceland, and some mouth watering dishes, this is where we find this gentle and heartwarming comedic drama. Two childhood friends get a chance to leave their restaurant open all year round. When one of them comes out as a transgender woman, their long standing friendship is put to the test, and unveils new perspectives on life and identity.

“Odd Fish” is the first Icelanding film to star a transgender actress, Arna Magnea Danks.

Bring the whole family along to watch this humble, funny and moving film.

#300Letters

A jaunty and surprising Argentinian romantic comedy is telling the love story of Tom and Jero in reverse.

On the face of it, an ideal gay couple- they meet on Grindr for a hot hook-up, despite their clashing personalities: Jero is a crossfit athlete and Tom is a queer expressive performance artist. They are drawn to each other through sizzling sexual chemistry and become a couple. A surprise awaits Jero when Tom gives him an unusual anniversary gift- a break up letter.

With the letter comes a box with 299 other letters that tells their story from Tom’s point of view, which leaves Jero completely broken- will he be able to come back from this?

Cristian Mariani is charming as Jero who just wants to find love but ignores every red flag on the way.

Lucas Santa Ana wrote and directed a comedy on the desperate wish to find love in the modern age. He does it with humor, wisdom of life and a very charismatic and talented cast.

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Comedy 2025

Panel + Screening of “Dick Tracy”

Touch Me

The Best Friend

Hocus Pocus

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Queens of the Dead

The Black Hole

Rains Over Babel

Odd Fish

#300Letters

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