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North America 2024

Riley

Dakota Riley is a beloved football star of his local high school. His dominant father and teammates have a clear plan for him, but Riley, who wants to be loved by everyone, is having a hard time loving himself. He does anonymous hook-ups, suffers from anxiety and lives in constant fear of being outed in a conservative town and a football team that is all toxic masculinity.
“Riley” is a fascinating film of the journey of a young man trying to figure out who he is, what he wants from himself and what is the life path he should be taking. The story focuses on his conflicted emotions and denied desires, all the while navigating adolescence.
“Riley” was written and directed by Benjamin Howard, and it is the director’s first full length feature, after he’s made several award winning short films. Howard is definitely a refreshing discovery and will surely find his place in Hollywood in the next few years. Jake Holley gives a powerful and complex performance as Riley.

The Writer

American-Lithuanian Kostas and Russian-Lithuanian Dima meet anew in New York, decades after they served together in the Soviet army. They fell in love in the 80’s and Dima joined Kostas and moved to Lithuania. When Lithuania restored its independence, Kostas left to study in New York and left Dima behind. Kostas gained fame, when a book he wrote, based on their love story, became a bestseller and turned him into a sought after writer and lecturer. When they meet again, Dima, who in the meantime married and divorced a woman, wishes to exorcise their demons and rectify the story that is told in the book.
Through examining the art of conversation, director Romas Zabarauskas explores how history and geopolitical changes affect people’s private lives, such as relationships, friendships and love.

Romas Zabarauskas has been a TLVfest’s guest back in 2021, and this is his 5th film.

Mysterious Skin

20th anniversary of the film “Mysterious Skin”

Opening movie of the 1st ever TLVFest, way back in 2006.
“Mysterious Skin” is a heart breaking cinematic art creation directed by Gregg Araki (“Totally F***ed Up”), and is celebrating 20 years to its debut screening at the Venice Film Festival.

“Mysterious Skin” is based on Scott Heim’s book and describes the meeting of two young men in a small town in Kansas. Neil is a hustler and Brian is obsessed with alien abductions. As the paths of the two collide and a shared truth from their past will resurface.
This is a stunning cinematic piece that through its colourful pop beauty describes a horrible and painful reality. This is one of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best performances.

Sing Sing

A year ago the American actor Colman Domingo became the 2nd out LGBTQ actor to be nominated for best actor at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of a gay man in the film “Rustin”, where he played the gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. This year he comes back with a new film “Sing Sing” and his chances for a second nomination look very good.
This film is also based on true events. Director Greg Kwedar’ film follows a theater rehabilitation program for prisoners in the infamous Sing Sing jail.
Every six months a group of inmates gets together to decide on the play they will perform next. The undisputed leader of the group is an educated man with a passion for literature named Divine G (Colman Domingo). Divine G’s leadership wavers when he recruits a new and outspoken member, Divine Eye (Clarence Maclin as himself), and the whole group dynamic changes.
“Sing Sing” is a powerful cinematic piece that brings us the magic of backstage theater behind bars. It is a film about pain, joy and escapism that theater brings to the group. Almost all the actors in the film are real former convicts who participated in the theatre rehabilitation program and the characters in the film are based on their experiences.

This film has rare and powerful sensitivity and a once in a lifetime performance by one of the most impressive actors of our time, Colman Domingo.

A House is Not a Disco

A documentary that goes behind the scenes of Fire Island Pines, an upscale neighbourhood in the popular queer beach town of Fire Island, that had become an international hot fantasy, when the first gay porn films were filmed on the beach there, back in the 60’s.
Back in the day, when it was still illegal to be gay, men used to come to these beaches to enjoy carnal desires and lives free of inhibitions and conflicts. Half an hour ferry ride from New York, Fire Island is still a sanctuary for gay men, even more than half a century later.
Actor Brian J Smith (“Sense8”) in his debut film captures the joy as well as the tension between the Island’s residents and the frequent visitors from the “Big Apple”. The film follows the social changes that had taken place in the past decades, since gay men began to arrive at the small, quaint seaside town. Global warming also plays its part as the beach is slowly disappearing.
The result is a piece of history, seemingly of a very specific place, but it’s also a reflection of the entire queer culture. This is a film about a true paradise, wild nature, vibrant characters, the AIDS epidemic and its long-lasting effects, social activism and also a few eccentric types.

High Tide

Brazilian tourist Lourenço is left behind when his American boyfriend deserts him in Provincetown at the end of the summer season. Lourenço passes the time with random hookups, talking to the locals who hire him to do maintenance and flirting with a hot tourist named Maurice (James Bland). Lourenço has to decide how to deal with shadows of his past that won’t let go and the harsh reality of being an undocumented immigrant in the USA.
In his debut film, director Marco Calvani puts Brazilian actor Marco Pigossi (“Gen V”, “Invisible City”) at the heart of a sexy and melancholic story about an immigrant after an unexpected breakup. Alongside Pigossi you’ll find Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei, Bill Irwin (“Rustin”) and Mya Taylor (“Tangerine”).
Marco Calvani created a thoughtful and daring film that raises questions on queer life in the modern world.

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