LA BELLE DE GAZA

After tackling sexual abuse in ultra-Orthodox Judaism with the award-winning M (Best Director at SEFF), Yolande Zauberman concludes her documentary trilogy on Israeli nightlife with this film, which follows the journey of a young trans woman who fled on foot from Gaza to Tel Aviv, facing threats to her life. Her investigation into that journey of self-affirmation – set in a context of taboos, misunderstanding and oppression – explores the trans experience, reflecting the contradictions of gender, religion and politics in the region. The French filmmaker captivates once again by focusing on the radical nature of intimacy and challenging conventional representations. Here, the occupied territory is depicted as a disturbing spectre, yet for these women of varying ages and creeds, the terror arises from another front – from all fronts.