All Films and Events 2023 Archives - Page 5 of 8

Rivière

17 years old Manon, an outstanding hockey player, leaves her home in Switzerland to go look for the father who abandoned her and her mother years ago. She arrives at a small French town on the Swiss border, where she makes new connections and falls in love for the first time. Manon is determined to make her dream come true – to become a professional hockey player, but before that she must accept her sexuality as well as the reality where her parents will never be there for her.
“Rivière” describes the journey of a young woman who has to fight the entire world for her place in it because nothing is a given. Lead actress Flavie Delangle (Manon) gives us a tough and captivating character from the beginning till the end. Get ready for a particularly moving drama.

The Radical

“The Radical” is an intimate portrait of the world’s first out gay Imam. Muhsin Hendricks was a Muslim fashion designer in South Africa, who fought to reconcile his faith and his sexuality. He went to Pakistan to study to become an Imam – so that he may better understand Islam. He came out in 1995, after he decided that he must be true to himself and the world, and founded the first gay mosque in Cape Town (one of South Africa’s three capitals) that later turned into the world’s Muslim queer network. After becoming an establishment in South Africa, Hendricks decided to try and help communities in east Africa who live in countries with anti-LGBTQ laws.
“The Radical” is a glimpse into the world of Muhsin Hendricks and the fight he heads for equality and individual safety. This is a film that is much more than just a portrait of Hendricks and a visit to different African countries – this is an inspiring cinematic manifesto on activism.

In association with the New Israeli Fund

Commitment to Life

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With discount code TLVFEST ticket’s price is 30NIS instead of 48NIS.

A fascinating and moving documentary that dives deeply into the real and complicated story of the Los Angeles fight against HIV/AIDS. This film was created by the legendary documentary director Jeffrey Schwarz, who had many of his films showcased at the TLVfest in the past, such as “I Am Divine”, “Boulevard! A Hollywood Story” and “Vito”. This film presents a thorough research of individuals and organizations that dedicated themselves to finding a cure for AIDS and dealing with the disease in the early 80’s, when the deadly virus began to spread. Doctors, activists and media personalities made major efforts to work in a society that wasn’t ready to accept the reality of this mysterious disease.

This documentary is full of heartbreaking moments, in-depth interviews and personal stories of celebrities such as Rock Hudson, Elisabeth Taylor and David Geffen. The film provides an intensive and extensive view of the influence of a world health crisis on everyone – from the most marginalized communities in Downtown LA to the rich and famous. “Commitment to Life” gives us an eye opening reminder that the fight with HIV/AIDS isn’t over, but at the same time offers a hopeful view of how people can make a profound change when they work together.

This movie is eligible for a special “Monthly TLVfest” price:

4 Tickets – special price 160 NIS (40 NIS per ticket) – purchase here **
6 Tickets – special price 225 NIS (37.5 NIS per ticket) – purchase here **
12 Tickets – special price 360 NIS (30 NIS per ticket) – purchase here **

**NOT VALID for the TLVfest FESTIVAL screenings. Valid only for the Monthly TLVfest screenings.

Chasing Chasing Amy

12 years old Sav Rodgers used to watch “Chasing Amy” repeatedly, and the film had changed his life forever. He developed an identification, maybe even an obsession, with the 1997’s hit which formed his queer identity. When Sav grows older he decides to produce and direct a movie that explores the role of “Chasing Amy” in the queer culture. He even manages to get the cooperation and support of Kevin Smith, the director of “Chasing Amy” and one of the most influential independent filmmakers of the 90’s. But as the production continues, Rodgers begins to realise the legacy of the original film is different than what he imagined and he discovers new things about himself, his relationship with his girlfriend and his gender identity.
“Chasing Chasing Amy” is a cinematic celebration of queer culture and identity. A fresh new look on a complex bi classic, how the idea to make “Chasing Amy” formed, what went on backstage, what happened to the actors of the film after the major success and how all of that affected filmmaker Sav Rodgers.
Kevin Smith, the director and writer of the original film, gives Rodgers a free hand and talks openly even on the less glamorous moments of the process. Other notable appearances in the film include Joey Lauren Adams who played Amy, screenwriter and actress Guinevere Turner (well known from the classic lesbian film “Go Fish”) who was personally involved in the film and director Andrew Ahn (“Fire Island”)

My Sole Desire

A striptease show to a techno remix version of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the sugar plum fairy”, nude reading of Chekhov and a satirical striptease on the theme of yellow vests protests. All these and more are part of a show in the Parisian strip club “À Mon Seul Désir”, a place where stripers with artistic flair can take professional risks and challenge their audience.
Manon (Louise Chevillotte, “Synonymes” by Nadav Lapid) is a young aimless woman with no real purpose in life. She spontaneously decides to start working at the club and is immediately drawn to her new colleagues, especially Mia (Zita Hanrot, “Angry Annie”), an ambitious actress with a partner and a child. The relationship between the two intensifies as they spend more and more time together and Manon finds herself falling for Mia. The two begin a secret affair in a place where you must draw the line between love and work.
Director Lucie Borleteau created a film about sex workers through a female non judgmental gaze. She describes the world of the women working in the club with all its complexities. The result is a surprising and unusual cinematic journey with excellent actresses in the lead roles and quite a few surprise guest appearances, such as Melvil Poupaud (“Time to Leave”), Félix Maritaud (“120 BPM”), legendary director Frederick Weisman and actress Ariane Labed (“Lobster”).

Viewing is 18+ due to explicit sexual content.

In association with the Embassy of France

Homecoming

Catherine Corsini, director of the excellent “The Divide” (TLVfest 2021), is back with another magnificent drama that was part of the Palme d’Or official competition at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
Khédidja is working as nanny for a wealthy Parisian family that takes her to the summer holidays on Corsica island. She brings along her two teenage daughters Jessica and Farah. This is an opportunity for the mother and two daughters to go back to the island they left in a hurry 15 years ago under tragic circumstances. While the mother is overcome with memories, the two daughters enjoy everything summer has to offer – unexpected rendez-vous, first love experiences and parties far into the night. In between, questions of their family history on the island arise, which lead the two girls to discover other sides to their mother’s version of the events that she never disclosed.

Just like in her previous film, Corsini creates a microcosm of tensions due to race, sex and gender with a strong and moving female story. “Homecoming” is a drama that is sure to move and impress the viewers.

In association with the Embassy of France

Glitter & Doom

Need a shot of shiny, romantic, musical glitter? Here’s the new film from the creators of the classic hit “Were the World Mine” (2008) and “Hello Again” (TLVfest 2017), this time with hits by the Grammy winners, queer lesbian icons, “The Indigo Girls”.
Doom (Alan Cammish) is a young ambitious musician. Glitter (Alex Diaz) is an acrobat and a clown who’s dream is to study in Paris. The two fall in love during the summer, with late night talks and plenty of songs and dances. Their relationship is put to the test when their domineering mothers (the wonderful Ming-Na Wen and Missy Pyle) try to influence their plans to achieve their dreams.

The film was shot in Mexico City and uses the city’s architecture and wonderful views to create a fantastic visual to go along with the kitschy, head-spinning, romantic and queer music. This film is peppered with plenty of guest appearances by some of the best queer stars such as Lea DeLaria, Tig Notaro, Kate Pierson from the band The B-52s, drag queen Peppermint, Broadway star Beth Malone and of course – Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, “The Indigo Girls” themselves.

This movie is eligible for a special “Monthly TLVfest” price:

**NOT VALID for the TLVfest FESTIVAL screenings. Valid only for the Monthly TLVfest screenings.

Passages

Thomas is a German filmmaker, who is under a lot of pressure towards his last day of filming in Paris. In the evening there’s a party to celebrate the end of shooting. Thomas starts the night dancing with his British husband Martin, but ends it in the arms of Agathe, a young preschool teacher. She falls under Thomas’ spell and what starts as a flirtatious dance ends up as a passionate and surprising night. The next morning Thomas openly tells his husband he’s slept with a woman which throws the couple into a whirlpool of emotions that will change their life.

New York based gay filmmaker Ira Sachs (“Married Life”, “Love Is Strange”, “Keep the Lights On”) brings to the big screen an achingly beautiful film full of passion, a film full of laughter and sorrow about an unlikely throuple in Paris. This film stars some of the finest young actors of our age – Franz Rogowski (“Great Freedom”), Ben Whishaw (“Atlas Cloud”, “Paddington”), Adèle Exarchopoulos (“Blue is the Warmest Color”) and Erwan Kepoa Falé (“Winter Boy”).
Viewing is 18+ due to explicit sexual content.

20,000 Species of Bees

Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren’s increadible debut film entered the Berlin Film Fesitival’s official contest and earned its star – 10 years old Sofía Otero – Best Actress Award.

“20,000 Species of Bees” is a quaint family drama, its atmosphere can even be described as impressionist. The film was shot in the Basque region in northern Spain and follows the summer holiday of a mother and her three children. In their very traditional village, eight years old Lucia can no longer keep her secret inside.

Director Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren, in her debut full length film, creates a sunny and emotionally exposed drama. She takes her audience on an intimate journey with her heroines – the daughter, the mother, the grandmother and the rest of the women living and ruling the small Basque village. Those women are different and varied as the different species of bees.
Solaguren, who also wrote the script, handles the subject delicately and creates a natural feeling, almost a documentary one. The new up and coming actress Sofía Otero gives a gut wrenching performance that wouldn’t leave a dry eye in the audience.

In association with the Embassy of Spain

Opponent

Iman is a former wrestling champion, a refugee from Iran, who is now wandering between refugee hostels in Sweden with his wife Miriam and their two daughters. Iman has escaped his homeland Iran in fear of persecution after a violent crime he committed. He is looking for ways to provide his wife and daughters a place to live and works delivering pizzas on a snow motorbike.
When Miriam becomes unexpectedly pregnant for the third time, and the talks with the Swedish immigration become tougher, Iman decides to renew his wrestling career, despite the promise he made to his wife never to engage in the dangerous sport again.
Iman is hoping that being included in the Swedish team will earn him a special staying permit as a sportsman. As his skills are very much appreciated by the local team and also by one of his fellow teammates (Björn Elgerd, “Are We Lost Forever”), the deeper reasons that lead Iman to fleeing Iran are about to surface.

In his second film, director/screenwriter Milad Alami is aided by a superb cast lead by Payman Maadi. He creates a complex and layered social drama dealing with culture clashes, identities, and how the individual is getting lost inside the political.
Swedish submission for the Oscar Awards 2024.

In association with the Embassy of Sweden