Antarctica

By: Mario DiMaio
In-House Review - Feb 01 2012

Director Yair Hochner's sexy and impressive feature has Tel Aviv's gay life working overtime, introducing us to a group of men and women searching for a guiding light to love and happiness. Central to the mix is Omer, a single librarian who turns 30 in two days and is ready to trade the books for a man. On a blind date he meets the adorable 20-something Danny, a dancer still living with his ex-boyfriend Ronen, himself unwittingly dating Omer's friend Mickey. Sister Shirley wants to break away from but can't quite leave her ex-girlfriend Michal, who is also her boss. When Omer's mischievous mother, Shoshana (Noam Huberman, in a comical dual role reminiscent of Hairspray's Divine), decides to throw him a birthday dinner party, everyone shows up but surprises are in store for all. Throw in a desirable choreographer, a striking coffeehouse singer-guitarist and assorted Internet dating prospects and you have one of the hottest cast ensembles of a recent gay film. (Hebrew with English subtitles)

By: Amos Lassen

"ANTARCTICA"

Another Excellent Israeli Gay Film

AMOS LASSEN


beverage aren't the only things shaken and stirred in this romantic comedy/drama from Israel. If tall, dark and handsome men appeal to you, and sweet and sensual women make you swoon, then get ready to find yourself from the affects of the charming characters in these interconnecting stories.
Director Yair Hochner's sexy and impressive feature has Tel Aviv's gay life working overtime, introducing us to a group of men and women searching for a guiding light to love and happiness.
Omer is on the brink of his 30th birthday and like many his age; he has yet to find himself. He isn't really looking however and he prefers loosing himself in the stacks of books at the library where he works. Occasionally he goes on blind dates and on one of these he meets Danny, a 20 year old enthusiastic guy who dreams of becoming a dancer.
Omer is not alone in his problems; his sister Shirley annoys him constantly and she is a strange relationship with Michal, a lesbian and owner of the most popular coffee house in Tel Aviv. Omer feels as if he is drowning and losing touch with himself but along comes Ronen, a very handsome journalist who manages to ignore Omer's flame. It seems that there are to be changes coming and all of the characters wait. The only person who really knows what is to be is Matilda Rose, a novelist.
The film begins showing Boaz, a guy who brings home a different man each night as if to show that love does not exist in Tel Aviv and life is not much more than random sexual encounters. Suddenly the movie moves ahead three years and we realize that the characters in the film are the very same men that with the guy in the opening sequence. We move through brief glimpses into the lives of Omer, Shirley, Danny, Ronen and Michal and watch as Omer is invited by Ronen to a meeting and the two men discover that they have a lot in common but they cannot seem to act on becoming closer. It takes until a surprise meeting a bit later that they realize that they should be together.
The acting is excellent throughout the film but there are a lot of characters and learning about their relationships gets confusing. Throwing that though aside, I must say that "Antarctica" is an outstanding film with an especially attractive ensemble cast. The sex scenes are very hot and explicit and the passion we see is perfect without being over the top. The film is both striking and original, bold and daring. Yair Hochner takes a goof hard look at human emotions with all of their complexities as well as how we react to different kinds of feelings. In watching the characters in the film, we realize that our feelings, like theirs, change and are in a continuous state of evolution.
Hochner summarizes the film as one that "follows the lives of a young group of 20 and 30 year olds in Tel Aviv, a city that never stops". He further states that he tried to capture the loneliness of being single in the big city. What really makes this film is unique is that everyone in it is perfectly at peace with who they are, no one needs to hide in a closet yet no one boasts of his sexual orientation. It is so good to see characters who totally accept themselves.
I found "Antarctica" to be much in the spirit and style of the late, great Robert Altman with all of the "coincidental convergences and twists". Everything here is outstanding.
A word about the title---it is metaphoric for how much a person will allow himself to love someone else and how long it takes that person to let his own defenses and chilliness thaw and allow himself to be open but closed to pain.

By: JANORM

This is one of those simply fantastic yet believable films that keep coming out of Israel. This story line portrays the actual realities of trying to find your soulmate in the screwy social setting that the Gay Lifestyle creates. Unless you have been exposed to this socialization over a period of years, you just can not appreciate everything that is being portrayed and stated very aptly in this film. The significance of this theme is that someone has taken the time to actually commit to paper the behaviors of this socialization. This has been a severe case of Deja Vu for myself!! This is a must for your collection! A few lyrics from C/W itenerary is in order for an ending of this review. LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES, LOOKING FOR LOVE IN SO MANY PLACES...........!!!!! NJMJr!