TLVFest, officially the Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Hebrew: הפסטיבל הבינלאומי לקולנוע גאה), is an annual film festival held in Tel Aviv, Israel. The festival is focused on LGBTQ-themed film from around the world.[1]
The festival, based at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. is open to all types of audiences, not only to members of the LGBTQ community. The festival also spotlights LGBTQ Palestinian films, consults LGBTQ Palestinians in its film selection process, and is outspoken in its commitment to Palestinian human rights.[2]
The festival runs around the same time as, sometimes concurrently, with Tel Aviv Pride.[3]
History
TLVFest was founded by Yair Hochner.[4] The first-ever LGBT film festival in Tel Aviv was held in 2006, and focused on LGBT-themed films that would otherwise never have received theatrical, TV or DVD distribution in Israel. The festival took place at the Ha’ozen Hashlishit (Hebrew for "Third Ear") music venue on King George Street and screened in five tiny theaters[4] of 20–40 seats each.
The festival opened with Greg Araki’s Mysterious Skin[4] and the festival sold out every film, attracting more than 2,000 people.
The festival moved to the bigger Tel Aviv Cinematheque in 2007.[4]IndieWire included it in its list of "10 LGBT Fests You Can’t Miss" in 2014 and 2015.[5][4]
The Israeli Film Council threatened to withdraw funding for the festival; however it did not cancel the funding.
Calls for boycott
2017
A number of scheduled speakers canceled their attendance at the event in response to pressure from the BDS movement.[22][23][24] The speakers who withdrew their participation are South African director John Trengrove, Canadian author and screenwriter of Pakistani descent Fawzia Mirza, Palestinian Nadia Ibrahim, who was supposed to sit in a jury panel, and Swiss Jasna Fritzi Bauer, though only Trengrove, Mirza and Ibrahim cited the BDS movement. Jasna Fritzi Bauer and Helene Hegemann claimed schedule clashes as a reason for cancellation.[25] Despite speakers withdrawal, there were not changes in the screen program and the films of those who cancelled their participation were shown during the festival. John Trengrove cancelled his participation after he arrived to Israel on festival dime.[26] Palestinian Israeli actress Samira Saraya and filmmaker Maysaloun Hamoud participated in the festival.[27]