Three Kilometres to the End of the World

17 years old Adi, who is in love with a male student from Bucharest, comes to spend the summer in his small and traditional home village on the bank of the Danube river. After a violent attack one night, Adi’s world is turned upside down, when his parents seem to prefer their religion and monetary interests over him, and the villagers and the authorities justify his attackers.

Three Kilometres to the End of the World” is directed by Emanuel Parvu, who is part of Romania’s New Wave, that is characterized by realistic, fascinating and well acted cinema. The film, which won the Queer Palm Award at Cannes, is a sharp and intelligent drama about family, corruption, courage and identity.
This is Romania’s nominee for the 2025 Academy Awards.

Please note: the film contains violence and depiction of non-consensual conversion therapy.

In association with the Embassy of Romania

Born for You

A film adaptation of a book by the same name, based on a true story.
We invite you to this moving new Italian film that is also very relevant to the current Israeli reality.

Luca Trapanese is a single Catholic gay man, who in 2017 wants to adopt Alba, a baby with Down Syndrome, who was abandoned at the hospital at birth. In the past, the Italian authorities have denied Luca’ requests to adopt a child or a baby. Alba was left at the hospital while 30 heterosexual families had rejected her. A meeting with a human rights lawyer encourages Luca to appeal to the court in hope they will agree to let him adopt Alba.
Today, thanks to the precedent set by Luca and Alba’s case, Italy allows single men to become foster families. Luca was the first single gay man in Italian history that managed to adopt a child. He didn’t do that to be a groundbreaker or to fight the authorities, he just wanted a family.

In 2017 TLVFest had screened an earlier film by director Fabio Mollo – “Il padre d’Italia


Additional screening: Haifa Cinematheque, 9.11, 18:00


In association with the Embassy of Italy & PrideTV
 

Awards Ceremony & “Who Wants to Marry an Astronaut?

Awards Ceremony of the 2024 TLVfest hosted by Galina Port de Bras

Afterwards, screening of “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.