On Tuesday, February 28th, at 9:00 PM, the Circolo Arcigay Tralaltro is hosting a screening of "Eyes Wide Open," an Israeli film that, for the first time, takes viewers into the world of the ultra-Orthodox, grappling with sexuality and homosexual desire. The 2009 film, directed by Haim Tabakman, premiered in Italy at the Turin LGBT Film Festival, but has never been released in Italian theaters.
The plot begins with the daily life of Aaron, 38, a respectable butcher in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox community, married to Rivka and with four children. His father's death forces him to seek help with his business. Chance brings him to meet Ezri, a handsome twenty-year-old student at a religious school, with whom he engages in a pleasant conversation. The next day, Aaron discovers that Ezri spends his nights on a street bench. He is moved and decides to take care of the boy. He teaches him butchering and takes him into the room behind his shop. Aaron introduces Ezri to the community and invites him to dinner at his home. They become increasingly close friends. One day, while they are at a distant "mikveh" (a sacred ritual bath), the two have a moment of intimacy that reveals their love for each other. From that moment on, Aaron finds no peace: he feels increasingly connected to Ezri, spending all his time with him, forgetting about his family and community, overwhelmed by a passion greater than himself. Aaron, however, is a God-fearing man, devoted to his family. Feelings of guilt begin to torment him, even leading him to self-punishment.
But a homosexual love cannot go unnoticed in Jerusalem's small ultra-Orthodox community.
Free admission
Eyes wide open
Directed by Haim Tabakman
Arcigay Tralaltro Circle Padua
Corso Garibaldi 41, Padua
For information, visit www.tralaltro.it
Free admission