Despite the abundance of its directors and cinematographers, it was not much anticipated that one day Israel could become an incredible land of creation for LGBT cinema.

Hands Untied: Looking for Gay Israeli Cinema

Documentary about the relationship between the mild-mannered filmmaker Tomer and a gang of tough, nihilistic estate-boys whom he is counseling and helping to put on a play.

It Kinda Scares Me

Aviv Geffen, the grandson of legendary Moshe Dayan and number one Israeli rock list, is rapidly becoming a mythic figure himself. He was the last person to embrace Rabin before that controversial politician was assassinated. The charismatic, bisexual singer-songwriter has rapidly become the Jim Morrison or Bob Dylan of his country, a voice that represents peace and integrity for a troubled young generation. Concert footage, kinetically edited and brilliantly shot, reveals the depth of feeling that many Israelis have for Aviv: hip, youthful women and men are clearly enamored of his presence. Directed by Tomer Heymann, this feature documentary follows the life of Aviv Geffen, a controversial Israeli singer whose liberal upbringing led him to refuse to serve in the Israeli military. Over the last six years, Geffen has become a spokesperson for the country's youth, and this film chronicles the rise of his career, his family roots, and how he finds the inspiration to write music.

Aviv

Paper Dolls follows the lives of transgender migrant workers from the Philippines who work as health care providers for elderly Orthodox Jewish men and perform as drag queens during their spare time. It also delves into the lives of societal outcasts who search for freedom and acceptance.

Paper Dolls

For the first time in Israel, a group of Arab and Jewish parents decide to establish a conjoint bi-national, bi-lingual school inside an Arab village. The film follows the school's first year and portrays through the personal stories of its characters, how complicated and fragile is the attempt to create an environment of co-existence against the backdrop of the complicated reality around.  - Perla Minon

Bridge over the Wadi

Seventy years after his grandfather escapes from Nazi Germany to Palestine, Israeli documentary director Tomer Heymann returns to the country of his ancestors to present his film "Paper Dolls" at the Berlin International Film Festival, and there meets a man who will change his life. This 48-hour love affair, originating in Berghain Panorama Bar, develops into a significant relationship between Tomer and Andreas Merk, a German dancer.

I Shot My Love

Poignant meditation on family, loss, and the mental maps of homelessness. The film navigates the intimate lives of 5 brothers and their mother, over the course of a decade, through the pains of exile and the joys of family bonding. Exploring the politics of belonging, displacement, and homosexuality, the film examines the hard decisions one Israeli family has to make and the intractable bonds that unite them in the face of complicated life choices.

The Queen Has No Crown

Love Letters to Cinema is a collection of ten "letters" in the form of short films (4 minutes each), written and directed by ten outstanding Israeli directors. The films and the directors conduct a dialogue, whereas the directors create a short film with their unique voice, bringing to the audience a group of work that reflects on cinema. Love Letters to Cinema is a true collaborative effort. Alongside the directors, over 300 industry professionals and students from the Sam Spiegel school volunteered to take part in the project, whereas their mutual love of cinema creates a colorful and powerful project.