The New Waves

LA BELLE DE GAZA

Yolande Zauberman | France | 2024 | 76 min.
LA BELLE DE GAZA
- C.PArmas 2
- C.PArmas 1
- C.Avda 5
- C.Nerv 3

The Belle from Gaza is a documentary film about transgender women in Israel. In it, Yolande Zauberman investigates the legend of a young girl who, threatened with death because of her trans identity, reportedly fled the Gaza Strip to travel on foot to Tel Aviv. Filmed on Hatnufa Street in Tel Aviv, the documentary interweaves the often tragic lives of several transgender women, some of whom are prostitutes. Israela, who comes from an Orthodox Jewish background, tells the story of her marriage to a rabbi, to whom she confessed being trans when she wanted a divorce. Danielle, who came from the Palestinian territories, was kidnapped by men from her hometown. She survived but her mother told her, "I regret that they didn't kill you". Conversely, the Israeli Talleen Abu Hanna, winner of Miss Trans Israel in 2016, feels accepted and expresses her gratitude to her country.