Fucking Different Tel Aviv

In the third edition of the anthology of short films, FUCKING DIFFERENT, 16 gay and lesbian filmmakers describe life and love in Tel Aviv. As in previous editions – the first, from Berlin, was screened in the Panorama section in 2005, the second, from New York, was shown in the Panorama in 2007 – lesbian filmmakers were asked to visualise their conceptions and observations of gay eroticism and sexuality, just as, conversely, gay filmmakers were asked to explore lesbian love in the Israeli capital. Filmmakers could choose their own topics, genres and narrative approach but were asked to adhere to a certain length and format. The upshot is a successful mixture of drama, documentary and experimental film on a broad and very entertaining spectrum of topics. The resulting film could easily have been no more than a succession of clichés, prejudices and stereotypical descriptions, but the filmmakers were able to avoid such pitfalls from the outset. The films in this compilation are imaginative, astute and downright sexy. Together they provide an extraordinary insight into female and male sexuality and eroticism. –Berlinale

The shorts are: Hila Ben Baruch’s “Political Sex,” Stephane Abramovich’s “I Am Brigitte,” Yair Hochner’s “One Bench Left, One Bench Right,” Yasmin Max’s “Public Asylum,” November Wanderin’s “Désarmés,” Yossi Brauman’s “A.S.P.H.A,” Eran Koblik Kedar and Ricardo Rojstaczer’s “The Shame,” Avital Barak and Sie Gal’s “Does Not Depend On,” Elad Zakai’s “Blood Money,” Nir Neeman’s “Yossi & Yasmin,” Eyal Bromberg and Sivan Levy’s “Checher la femme” and Anat Salomon’s “Sometimes You Give, Sometimes You Get.”