Eyes Wide Open in Brockley
This is slightly late in the day, but the Brockley Jack Film Club is screening Eyes Wide Open on Monday night. Details are here.
Queer haredim on screen in SE4! I am told this is one of the real gems of the current Israeli cinema, under-going something of a renaissance with films like Samuel Maoz's Lebanon, Eran Riklis' The Lemon Tree, Ari Folman's awesome Waltz With Bashir, Tatia Rosenthal's $9.99, Joseph Cedar's Beaufort, Eran Kolirin's The Band's Visit and Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani's Ajami.
“‘A gripping tale of a man fighting with himself, his community and religion’Aaron a married orthodox Jew in his thirties gives an enigmatic young man (Ezri) a job in his Jerusalem butcher’s shop. Working alongside Ezri unlocks long repressed desires and the two men embark on a sexual relationship. Slowly the community begins to suspect what is happening, and so begins Aaron’s conflict between his faith, community and desire. With a restrained pace and muted colours Tabakman’s film captures the oppressive atmosphere of a closed society and the cost of breaking a great taboo.
Time Out
“Tabakman manages to break taboos without resorting to a heavy-handed attack on religion. His film is sparse, sombre and curiously compelling.” ****
Sunday Times
Watch the trailer
Haim Tabakman / Israel 2009 / 90 min / Hebrew & Yiddish with subtitles / Cert: 12
Queer haredim on screen in SE4! I am told this is one of the real gems of the current Israeli cinema, under-going something of a renaissance with films like Samuel Maoz's Lebanon, Eran Riklis' The Lemon Tree, Ari Folman's awesome Waltz With Bashir, Tatia Rosenthal's $9.99, Joseph Cedar's Beaufort, Eran Kolirin's The Band's Visit and Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani's Ajami.
Comments
You forgot to mention two other very fine films dealing with homosexuality: "The Bubble" (Life in Tel Aviv) and "Sodot" (Secrets).
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/mar/13/movie-review-the-secrets-ha-sodot/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0476643/
The films I mentioned in my post have all only come to the UK since 2008 or so, although they might have been slow arriving here. Israeli cinema has really leapt in its reputation here in that period - ironic, of course, as it more or less coincides with the period of pressure for cultural boycott from the Mike Leighs and Ken Loaches...
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/content/module/2010/10/25/main-feature/1/was-lenin-jewish