Camila Comes Out Tonight

Camila’s entire world is thrown into a spin when her mother moves the family to Buenos Aires. She starts attending a new school, million miles away from her liberal world view. Politically opinionated Camila is like a breath of fresh air to the other students and she quickly draws the attention of fun loving Bruno and Clara. Even though Bruno is nothing like the boys Camila dated in the past, it’s the flaming haired Clara that invokes something stronger in Camila’s heart. But Camila is unaware that Clara has a secret that can ruin their budding relationship before it even begins.
Director Inés Barrionuevo brilliantly captured the teen spirit in all its chaotic glory, and actress Nina Dziembrowski is absolutely mesmerizing as Camila.

We Will Never Belong

Adolescence can be tough, especially for young queer girls who haven’t yet fully formed and accepted their identity. Emi recently discovered that her mother is in a loving relationship with another woman and she’s not handling it well. She leaves her mother and returns to her birthplace to live with her father and his new family and spends more time with her maternal grandmother. Everything there is a lot less confusing until her intriguing step-sister shows up. Soon Emi realizes why she’s been having such a hard time dealing with her mother choosing to live her life freely.
We Will Never Belong” delicately traces the journey of one girl to find her truth. Director Amelia Eloisa’s debut film does that with plenty of style and grace.

Director in attendance

Huesera

This was supposed to be the best time of Valeria’s life. She and her husband Raul finally manage to make one of their dreams come true – having a child.
At first everything seems perfect, but as the pregnancy progresses, Valeria’s mood starts to change. The closer she comes to her due date, the more Valeria is plagued by heavy self-doubt and fear she can’t shake off. Visions of a disturbing, spider-like presence and other supernatural threats, all thanks to a being called ‘La Bonzara’. Valeria discovers she’s not the only one in her family who had to face the ancient demons and she decides to confront them. She reconnects with her old life, including her first love, Octavia.
In her debut film, director Michelle Garza Cervera delivers an intense and raw horror film, complete with very disturbing images that will raise goosebumps. Actress Natalia Solián as Valeria creates a character that has to make some very hard choices, but at the same time we feel a lot of empathy for.

In association with the Embassy of Mexico

Jeannette

Jeannette isn’t like anyone you’ve met before. She’s a bodybuilder, personal trainer, single mother, lesbian and one of the survivors of the massacre at the Pulse club in Orlando, Florida where 49 people were killed and 53 injured.
This film begins at the wake of that tragedy and follows Jeannette’s journey to healing, as she finds support and solace through the community. The film gives us a glimpse of the tense relationship between Jeannette and her conservative mother who refuses to accept her daughter’s sexuality, as well as Jeannette’s trip to Puerto Rico to help her family after a devastating hurricane.
Director Maris Curran opens a window into the life of one strong, brave, but also vulnerable woman. Curran shows the complex and humane character of Jeannette and all its aspects, and her way of dealing with the trauma and loss after the terrible massacre. The result is empowering and brings to the light an inspiring woman.

Additional screening: Rosh Pina Cinematheque 28.10, 16:00

Mama Bears

Director Daresha Kyi has created a moving and intimate documentary of how a mother’s love can change the world.
Mama Bears” is the story of women who let almost every aspect of their lives be completely remodeled by love. Even though they grew up in an Evangelistic fundamentalist Christian communities, the “Mama Bears” group members are willing to risk the loss of family, friends and their religious community in order to keep their children safe, even if by doing so they challenge their own entire belief system and tear apart their own whole world view of politics, religion, faith and love.
The result is a gripping social documentary about the battle against LGBTQ-phobia these brave women lead.

Additional screening: Rosh Pina Cinematheque 29.10, 18:00

Mars One

This darling of the Sundance Film Festival 2022, brings to the screen the story of growing up in a working class Brazilian family, when in the background rage the social and political upheavals after the elections that made Bolsonaro president in 2019.
Eunice is a young student falling in love for the first time. She meets Joana in a club and they form an intimate connection. But Eunice is hesitant about sharing her love and sexuality with her parents. Deivinho, Eunice’s younger brother, is also hiding a secret – he wants to be a scientist and one day travel to space, but his father dreams of his son becoming a successful professional football player and getting their family out of poverty.
While avoiding all the clichés of such films, director Gabriel Martins brings us the story of a first love, where it seems Eunice is the adult one, while her parents never really matured.
Mars One” brings to life a familial, humane drama, wrapped in all the colours and music Brazil has to offer.

Additional screening: Haifa Cinematheque 1.11.2022

You Can Live Forever

In the early 90’s, following her father’s death, a queer teenager Jaime, is sent to live with her fundementalist Jehovah Witnesses relatives. Soon Jaime forms an unexpected connection with Marike. Both youth find themselves instantly attracted to each other and begin a secret affair. But when their attraction is becoming too obvious to hide, their community does everything in its power to break the young couple and force each girl to make life changing decisions.
In their debut film, directors Mark Slutsky and Sarah Watts deliver a drama with a fresh look on first love and forbidden love. Anwen O’Driscoll and June Laporte portray the two young heroines with unapologetic exuberance.

Additional screening: Haifa Cinematheque 4.11.2022

Sissy

Cecilia (Aisha Dee from the series “The Bold Type”) is a successful social media influencer, living the dream of a modern, independent young woman from the TikTok generation. One day she accidentally runs into Emma (Hannah Barlow, the film’s writer and director), who used to be her best friend in their early teens. They used to believe their friendship would last forever and didn’t let anything stand in their way, until bully Alex invaded their lives. Emma is so pleased to meet her old childhood friend that she decides to invite Cecilia to her bachelorette party. Cecilia is convinced there’s nothing better than a weekend of music and drinks in a faraway cabin in the mountains to renew her connection to Emma, but there is one small detail Emma had forgotten to mention to Cecilia – Alex, the bane of their existence, is the owner of the cabin.
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of laughter and horror in this surprising Australian gem.

In association with the Embassy of Australia

Breaking the Ice

29.10 and 30.10 screenings include Q&A with the director

Director Clara Stern’s debut film “Breaking the Ice” premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. In this film Stern brings to the screen a story of what happens when someone with a very rigid and uncompromising view on life meets the exact opposite – the side she yearns to live and experience.
Alina Schaller is Mira, who sometimes seems to be carrying the weight of the entire world on her shoulders. She’s the captain of a women’s ice hockey team and the heiress to the barely financially surviving vineyard. She is taking care of her grandfather, whose Alzheimer is progressing rapidly, and her younger, irresponsible brother, Paul, returns home after being gone for a long while.
When a new, spontaneous, free-spirited young woman joins the team, Mira finds herself being swept into a surprising and freeing affair, maybe even more freeing than she can actually afford to have.
Breaking the Ice” is a romantic sport drama about the freedom to be who you are with no limitations.

Additional screening: Rosh Pina Cinematheque 2.11, 20:30
Jerusalem Cinematheque, 2.11 – 19:00

In association with the Austrian Cultural Forum

Wet Sand

Wet Sand” is the second feature film by Georgian director Elene Naveriani. It deals in a very delicate and moving way not only with the homophobia engrained in the Georgian society, but also with the generation gap between the older closeted queers and the younger generation who refuses to hide.
In a quaint fishermen’s village, on the shores of the Georgian Black Sea, live friendly people who are sure that they know each other well. One day, Eliko, one of the village elders, is found hanged. His androgenous looking granddaughter Moe, a city girl, arrives at the village in order to organise her grandfather’s funeral. She clearly doesn’t fit in the conservative community that sees her as an outsider, but the locals fake a warm reception. Moe befriends the old tavern owner who used to be very close with her grandfather and the village spinster bartender working for him. The more Moe delves into the mystery that is her grandfather’s life, the more she uncovers the web of lies and the tragic consequences of Eliko’s secret love life.
Pay attention to the perfect and addictive soundtrack, which will surely send you straight to Spotify to look for the songs afterwards.

Additional screening: 3.11, 20:30 Cinematheque Herzliya