(2012, 96 min)
Country: Israel
Director: Michael Mayer
Studio: Breaking Glass Pictures
Language: Hebrew w/subtitles
SYNOPSIS: Brimming with intensity and compassion, Out in the Dark follows two men – one Israeli and one Palestinian – who risk everything for love on the West Bank.
REVIEW:
Out in the Dark, the debut feature from director Michael Mayer, is simply brilliant. The film, centering on race and sexuality, follows a young, affluent and ambitious Palestinian grad student and a Jewish lawyer who fall in love.
The adorable Nimr (Nicholas Jacob) crosses the border to study and occasionally to meet his friends at a gay nightclub in Tel Aviv. One night, he is introduced to the handsome and wealthy Roy (Michael Aloni) and an instant attraction ensues.
While Tel Aviv is ostensibly more accepting of Palestinians being present, Nimr’s homeland is not. He struggles to keep the peace with his Muslim family - especially his brother, who is now a member of a radical, extremist anti-Palestinian organization. Despite being surrounded by all of these weighty (and sometimes dangerous) obstacles, the budding couple cannot help but fall immensely in love.
Everything soon comes to a gripping head. Nimr is forced to choose between the life he once dreamed of... or Roy, his true love.
From the opening scene to the final frame, Out in the Dark is a timely and poignant film that should not be missed!
-- Kelly Burkhardt, TLA Video (http://www.tlavideo.com)
