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European Restoration Premiere: Amazing Grace (18*) + Extended Introduction

Cinema Restored

,Cinema 3
Two men lying in bed together in a dark room look at credits on an old TV screen.

A young gay man in Tel Aviv begins a relationship with an older man with AIDS in Amos Guttman’s poignant 1992 film, made shortly before his death.

Young Jonathan (Gal Hoyberger) moves to Tel Aviv to seek love and excitement in the city. He develops a tender relationship with Thomas (Sharon Alexander), an older gay man who, unbeknownst to Jonathan, has AIDS.

Amazing Grace is the final, heavily autobiographical film from pioneering Israeli filmmaker Amos Guttman, a melancholy, poetic drama with beautiful visual flourishes. The fantasy sequence where male models in a porn magazine come to life is worthy of Derek Jarman. Guttman put queer people and outsiders at the centre of his films, at a time when LGBTQ+ representation was extremely rare in Israeli cinema. He died from an AIDS-related illness a year after the film’s release.

Introduced by film programmer Nir Cohen and Barbican Head of Cinema Gali Gold.

 

 

Tagged with: Cinema upcoming events Cinema Restored

Israel 1992 dir Amos Guttman 99 mins

Please note this film contains instances of racist language and references to suicide.

Alex Davidson discusses Amos Guttman's films and legacy with Gali Gold

Barbican Cinema Curator Alex Davidson and Head of Cinema Gali Gold delve into the fascinating world of Alex Guttman's Amazing Grace (1992), a ground-breaking film for Israel's queer community 

Nir Cohen

Nir Cohen is the author of Rebels, Soldiers and Drifters: Gay Representation in Israeli Cinema and Head of Programming at UK Jewish Film

Cinema 3

Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue. 

Address
Beech Street
London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.