The Binding *** (2024, Yoav Keren, Shimon Mimran, Tal Ben Elazar) – Classic Movie Review 13,483

Eyal Kantor’s 2024 frank and fearless LGBTQ+ Israeli drama film The Binding [HaAkedah] about saints, sinners and sex stars Yoav Keren, Shimon Mimran, and Tal Ben Elazar.

Co-writer/ director Eyal Kantor’s 2024 frank and fearless LGBTQ+ Israeli drama film The Binding [HaAkedah] about saints, sinners and sex stars Yoav Keren, Shimon Mimran, and Tal Ben Elazar.

Yoav Keren stars as the 21-year-old Binyamin, who has moved to a small apartment in the centre of Tel Aviv after coming as gay and facing opposition from his family, especially his father, as well as trauma after his older brother’s death in an accident, for which he feels responsible.

Binyamin lives on his own, works in a bar, and likes to be hurt having gay sex, enjoying a life of violent one-night stands. He meets a nice new neighbour he likes, but their thing doesn’t immediately work out because the neighbour doesn’t like BDSM.

Binyamin’s life takes a strange turn when his relationship with the 49-year-old Avinoam (Shimon Mimran), the owner of the pub where he works, grows much, much closer, but intellectually and religiously, not sexually. This starts when Avinoam interrupts at gunpoint a sexual encounter Binyamin is having with another man. Later Binyamin helps Avinoam out after he is attacked by a pair of homophobes, and even invites him to stay over in his apartment.

Binyamin is cute and charming, but obviously deeply damaged. Avinoam is a charismatic, if rather creepy, nationalist religious man, who uses his powerful words as a weapon. Avinoam is married with a young daughter, but has been troubled by homosexuality in the past. Binyamin seems to have found a safe place with him, but has he? Or is Avinoam a religious maniac?  He certainly has a great nutty look in his eyes and spouts some extremely high-flown philosophical and religious ideas!

The Binding is a real oddball movie from Israel, provocative, thoughtful and teasingly puzzling. It is boldly and confidently staged, with an eerie, doomy atmosphere, and two excellent, intense and fearless main performances by Yoav Keren and Shimon Mimran, both men brave and bold.

Make of it what you can. The Binding might be quite profound, or might not. It is certainly quite a little bit challenging, and quite a little bit disturbing, and definitely done with considerable style, even a touch of brio. A second viewing is needed for fuller understanding and enlightenment, though. This however might be another challenge as the film is not particularly entertaining or enjoyable, though it is packed with interest, and deserves a lot of esteem and respect.

Yoav Keren writes the mystifying, bewildering, provocative screenplay with Eyal Kantor.

Running time: 111 minutes.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,483

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com

Yoav Keren (above left) in The Binding (2024).