Porn mogul Michael Lucas has hardly been shy about his staunch support for Israel, from lashing out at “Islamist culture” in the Advocate to filming the first gay porn in the Jewish homeland.
Now he’s self-funded the new documentary, Undressing Israel: Gay Men in the Promised Land, in which he explores Israel’s thriving gay community and works to dispel myths about the Land of Milk and Honey.
“There is much more to the Jewish state than missiles and prayers,” Lucas notes in the press materials.
Lucas teamed up with documentarian Yariv Mozer, who previously directed the gay-Palestinian doc Invisible Men, on this film. They interview a variety of men (and, yes, it’s only gay men who are featured), including a gay soldier, a drag queen, a young Arab-Israeli journalist, two dads raising a family, and an out member of Israel’s parliament.
“The media is only interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Lucas told Queerty. “I thought that this film would be incredibly important for Israel and the first of its kind. I was motivated by the country and its openness, friendliness and tolerance towards minorities.”
He covered the doc’s $100,000 budget himself and describes Mozer as a longtime friend and his first choice to co-produce and direct. “I believe in this project and the importance of it,” says Lucas, who became an Israeli citizen in 2009. “I hope that it will help bring more gay tourists to Israel.”
Both Lucas and Mozer have been accused of pinkwashing—promoting Israel’s gay-rights record in order to downplay human-rights abuses against Palestinians. Whether or not Undressing Israel will draw similar criticism will have to wait until the film premieres at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival in February.
Jack E. Jett
I am a ultra Docu-holic. And I can hardly wait NOT to see this. It is a perfect
marriage though.
brent
As someone who strongly supports Israel, i will see this movie.
Daniel-Reader
I hate to say it but Lucas does have a point. You wouldn’t define the USA’s treatment of gay people (for example, marriage equality in Maine) based on the USA’s treatment of Cuban refugees washing ashore or on the USA’s treatment of illegal aliens crossing the USA-Mexican border. Trying to tie Israel’s treatment of gay people to Isreal’s treatment of Palestinians is just as absurd.
mattyhoff
@brent: I will also go see this film. Looks great! So happy that at least one country in the Middle East is supportive of gay rights.
MarchThirtyFirst
Anything PRO Isreal has my vote.
MikeE
I’m always amazed at how polarized opinions on Israel are.
Isn’t it possible to be neither pro nor anti Israel?
Isn’t it possible to disagree with some of the government’s policies, while supporting others?
While I disagree with how Israel came about, and the initial treatment of Palestinians, well, it’s been over 60 years. It’s a done deal now.
I do feel awful about a lot of what has happened to the Palestinians… but come on, they aren’t exactly a peace-loving democratic society. Sure blame Israel for illegal settlements. I’m all there on that issue. But at least, blame Palestinians for suicide bombs that kill women and children, for rockets fired into civilian areas, for a bunch of pretty nasty stuff.
Neither side is snow white in this conflict. They both bear blame and blood on their hands.
2eo
@MikeE: Yes it is possible, join the club. We have T-Shirts [fortunately they get accused of being islamophobic and anti-semitic so we’re okay from both sides], all sane people know Israel is a militaristic state that commits war crimes, not too far removed from our two countries in all fairness. Every sane person also knows Hamas as a vile, human sacrificing bloodstain on humanity.
Kieran
Meanwhile, the homophobes responsible for shooting up the Tel Aviv gay center and murdering several gay kids remains at large.
Burlington
Is Tel Aviv Israel’s ” gay ghetto “? This trailer give me this impression… Is this city like San Francisco a ” gay friendly ” city in a country full of intolerance and bigotry? ( Because everybody knows how prejudiced israelis and american WASPs are.)
Freddie27
Where are the images of Israeli settlers (most of whom are right-wing religious nut jobs who would stone Michael Lucas if they saw him) throwing trash and stones at Palestinian children? Where are the long lines at checkpoints for Palestinians to go to work? Where is the Apartheid wall that Israel constructed on Palestinian land that separates Palestinians from their herding land? Where are the images of rubble and smoking ruins in Gaza? Where are the illegal Israeli settlements that expand every year, stealing more Palestinian land, attack Palestinian farmers with impunity, put a two state solution further and further out of reach?
Israel is an apartheid, oppressor state that I never buy produce from, will never spend any money helping nor will I endorse a film that shows Israelis happily frolicking in Tel Aviv to distract us from the crimes committed by its government in Gaza and the occupied West Bank against the Palestinian people.
brent
@Freddie27: Of course the arab’s are known for their tolerance of gays.
Burlington
@brent: Arabs are insanely backwards. They even couldn’t show the world they can live pacefully with each other and hardly accept the way other peoples live. But israelis aren’t the best example of a friendly people. As UNO settled ” zionism is a form of racism ” and no other people on earth see israelis with simpathy because they put themselves always apart of others, feel supirior of all them and are a community that is defined most by its religion ( not the best way to be open for aliens ) and acts against all others only persuing its own interests . If it isn’t prejudice…
A society like this isn’t the best social group to accept gays or gay families.
MK Ultra
Anything that comes from the puckered asshole lips of Lucas concerning Israel and Palestine is propaganda.
If you fall for that, then even Fox news viewers are quicker than you.
Jack E. Jett
5 years ago I might have cared. Once I started reading about the Israeli army shooting innocent children and before they could be taken to the hospital, Israel sprayed them with White Phosphorus which meant not only would they be certain to die…but die in pain. This is a story that not only Israel admitted to but America admitted to paying for it.
For a while they almost had be believing that if you questioned the actions of Israel, you were anti-semitic, a bigot and a horrible person.
Have you ever asked yourself why there is such a close connection between Israel and the ultimate right wing evangelicals of America?
Joetx
@MK Ultra: I completely agree.
Michael Lucas is an Islamophobe & doesn’t bother to acknowledge the suffering the Israelis perpetrate on the Palestinians.
Neither side is w/o fault, but when 1 side (the Israelis) cut off the other side’s (the Palestinians) water, electricity, etc. to punish the whole for the sins of the few, then 1 side (the Israelis) are MORE at fault than the other (the Palestinians).
Plus, the Israelis continue to build settlements in the Occupied Territories, in contravention of international law. How can there be a 2-State Solution when the Occupied Territories are full of illegal settlements & are carved up by roads connecting those illegal settlements?