Israel 3rd International LGBT Film Festival June 23, 2008

The first ever LGBT Film Festival in Tel Aviv was launched in 2006. The establishment of this festival originated in the desire to bring the best of worldwide LGBT cinema to local audiences. These films would otherwise never get theatrical, TV or DVD distribution and would then never be seen. The festival took place at the legendary Ha'ozen Hashlishit (Third Ear) in Tel Aviv and screened across 5 tiny theaters of 20-40 seats each.

The festival opened with Greg Araki's "Mysterious Skin" and closed with the comedy "Formula 17." Both films were donated by "United King" distribution who preferred to release them straight to TV and not theatrically. That year we screened about 70 features, documentaries and short films over 5 days, from noon till midnight. All were donated by independent filmmakers and distributors. Over 2000 attended the festival to sold out houses.

The second festival was bigger and took place at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque on June 13-18, 2007. We had larger theaters this time (120 and 370 seats) and received a 20,000 NIS support from the Tel Aviv city hall. Despite the small budget and the fact that other festival receive financial support between 100,000 and 500,000 NIS, we were able to create a well rounded and respected program which included a retrospective of acclaimed director Bruce LaBruce, a concert with actor/musician Jay Brannan ("Shortbus") and other distinguished guests from Germany and Canada.

Most every democracy currently has a LGBT film festival; it should be inconceivable for Israel not to enjoy the basic freedom to exhibit queer films. However the above described political climate directly affects our opportunities in gaining local financial support. We have repeatedly come up against obvious cases of homophobia in our search for media partners.

The Gymnast opened the festival and Quinceañera closed it. Other programs included mainstream comedies as well as anarchistic queer shorts from the Porn festival in Berlin. The first ever title of Best Feature at TLVFEST went to the Argentinean "Un Año Sin Amor" ("A Year Without Love"). 4,500 people attended the festival.

The third festival to take place June 24-28, 2008, is generating a lot of press thanks to a project of short films by LGBT local filmmakers, organized and produced by Christian Petersen of Germany. Filmmakers from Germany, France, Italy and others are expected guests including Cheryl Dunye and Todd Verow – our main guests this year.

Thanks to the success of the previous years, this year screenings will travel to Jerusalem and Haifa. But despite it all, the festival encounters many difficulties in raising fiscal support and sponsorships. Fashion companies, beverage, travel, beauty and their likes are reluctant to cooperate with us in fear of a boycott by religious groups.

Tel Aviv city hall refused to increase the budget and it was only after a "Time Out Tel Aviv" reporter approached them regarding apparent discrimination that they agreed to increase funding to 50,000 NIS. Still short of other festivals.

With your support we hope to make this third festival one of the most talked about cultural events of the year. An event that will send a clear message to the Tel Aviv city hall, the ministry of culture and all business and their partners, that they should support and invest in us and stop succumbing to religious and right wing terror.

Despite a free and liberal vibe in Tel Aviv, the LGBT community has to constantly face vicious campaigns by members of the Knesset that throw preposterous accusations our way, that we cause earthquakes and should be treated in the same way they deal with bird flu, that LGBT internet sites of news, entertainment and dating are pornographic and should be censored and prohibited.

The festival exists to counter those allegations and to provide a rich cultural event to the community in a style no less than world class.

Official Website: http://www.tlvfest.com/