USA, 118 mins, dir. Eric Steel (English & Hebrew w/ English subtitles)
A young Russian Jewish immigrant in Brighton Beach, caught up in the tight constraints of his community, develops a close friendship with his grandfather’s new neighbours, two elderly closeted gay men who open his imagination to the possibilities of love and the realities of loss — and explores the East Village where he finds a world teeming with the energy of youth, desire and risk. Set in the late 1980s, as AIDS hammered New York City, Minyan is a powerful story of rebellion and self-discovery, sexual and spiritual awakening — and survival.
The last person Danielle expects to run into at a family shiva is her sugar daddy Max, whose apartment she was coming from. Avoiding him – and his beautiful wife and baby – is impossible, as is keeping her nagging parents, prying family friends and angry ex-girlfriend Maya away. This sharp-witted dark comedy from first-time feature writer/director Emma Seligman is a quirky yet sensitive exploration of the pressure young people face today.
Join Benjamin Law as he talks to fellow writers ?????? ?????? and ??? ??????? about identity and the inspiration behind their writing.
???????? ??? is a celebrated author and journalist, and the editor of ??????? ?? ????? ?? ?????????. He is a columnist for Fairfax’s Good Weekend magazine, co-host of ABC RN’s weekly national pop culture show, Stop Everything, and frequently appears on the TV shows Q&A, The Drum and The Project. Benjamin’s memoir, The Family Law, about growing up gay and Asian in Australia, was adapted for SBS TV.
??? ??????? is a Melbourne-based writer, PhD candidate, editor at Archer Magazine and is in the process of completing a memoir about gender diversity, Jewish identity, and mental illness. Roz describes their experience attending a Modern Orthodox Jewish school as a queer and non-binary person in their essay ‘Binary School’ which appeared in the anthology ??????? ?? ????? ?? ?????????.
?????? ?????? migrated from South Africa to Australia in 1989. After a career as a law lecturer and researcher, Hayley studied acting, and wrote and produced a play about asylum seekers. In 2005, Hayley moved to her girlfriend’s cattle farm in the Australian bush and completed an MFA (Creative Writing). Hayley’s short-stories and essays have been published internationally. ?????????? is her debut memoir.
Many thanks to MIST for including the Aleph Melbourne documentary “Aleph Melbourne – Celebrating 20 Years” in the Out & Loud – Pune International Queer Film Festival 2020.
Hen is an energetic activist and advocate for his people. As the son of Mizrahi Jewish refugees from Iraq and North Africa (Berber Jews from Tunisia), Hen has a unique and important voice in today’s discussions, sharing his family’s story as part of the 850,000 Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa. As a young Israeli, Hen served in the IDF for almost five years as an openly gay commander. During his service as a lieutenant in the COGAT unit, he worked as an intermediary between the Israeli Defense Forces (the IDF), the Palestinian Authority, the UN, and many non-governmental organisations that operate in the West Bank.
SPEAKER Hen Mazzig Hen Mazzig is the son of Mizrahi Jewish refugees from Iraq and North Africa. He has written for the LA Times, NBC News, Haaretz, The Forward, Jewish Chronicle and International Business Times. Since 2016, he has worked as a freelance consultant to help pro-Israel and social justice causes, and has also volunteered as the head of the Transgender and Health department at the National Israeli LGBTQ Task Force “The Nir Kates Center” in Tel Aviv.
Jarod has had a long journey with his gayness. A longer one with his Judaism. His life has its share of conflict. Inner turmoil. Some painful memories. But the focus will be on the inspiring moments he has had on his Jewish gay journey. Ultimately, his life is a tale of unwavering love, positivity and understanding. Because he has waded through the darkness, the light shines twice as bright. And I’m here.
SPEAKERS Jarod Rhine-Davis Jarod is a Jewish gay man living his best life in Melbourne, and has a keen interest in bringing the Jewish and LGBTIQA+ communities together. He actively volunteers and as a job is involved in helping disadvantaged people to find employment. He is looking forward to sharing his story.
Adam Samuel Adam Samuel is a Jewish/gay award-winning radio broadcaster and journalist, working with KIIS, GOLD, 3AW and JOY 94.9, and notably associate producing the Melbourne AIDS Conference. Adam is also a festival and event MC, and is often seen walking along Glenhuntly Rd with a really large cup of coffee!
From the lounge-rooms of Sydney, we bring you a taste of HaSodot, our grassroots film club catering to queer Jewish women. Join us as we watch and discuss the portrayal of queer Jewish women in contemporary film and television. We will examine the ways in which television and film represent (or misrepresent) our experiences and how this may impact our lives and identities.
Shoshana Gottlieb Shoshana is a writer and playlist maker based in sydney. She spends her time watching, reading about, and discussing film and television. her mother thinks she would’ve made a great doctor.
