THE RAGE MONTHLY RECENTLY SPOKE WITH FOX IN ADVANCE OF THE RELEASE OF HIS LATEST “CHILD.”


Hello Eytan! How are you? Where are you calling from? I am in Tel Aviv, which is back to normal (after last month’s violence


between Israel and Palestine). It’s been a crazy time, but I am doing well, thank you. When did you first get interested in filmmaking? I always wanted to be some kind of artist. I was a dancer in high school, then discovered photography in college. After I completed my time in the Israeli army, I studied film at Tel Aviv University. Has it always been your intention to tell primarily gay or LGBTQ stories? It wasn’t a conscious decision, but I realized I wanted to fill my films with


all kinds of subjects important to me. When I started making films, the culture here was very homophobic and nationalistic. It was a therapeutic experience for me. After people saw my films with their gay characters, they naturally started to ask me if I was gay. That was my coming out. I still try to tackle issues very important to me, including my homosexuality. How did you select your two lead actors in Sublet, John Benjamin Hickey and Niv Nissim? John, I saw off-Broadway in the original production of Love! Valour! Com- passion! and it blew me away. I later saw him in the movie. He was wonderful in it and I started following his career. He seemed perfect to me for this role as a New Yorker, openly gay and an artistic guy. John came to Tel Aviv and we then had chemistry tests with several actors for the role of Tomer. With him and Niv, it was in many ways love at first sight. They became close on screen and off. Niv took John home to his parents for dinners. (laugh) It was truly a case of life imitating art. This is your first film primarily in English. Was that much of an adjust- ment for you or your Israeli artists? Not really, no. I was born in the States and have America in me. I have John’s


character in me and it was easy for me to teach the character of Michael to him. I actually had to learn more about young gay people in Tel Aviv today. I showed the script early on to some friends and they said, “You don’t know anything about young people today.” (laugh) So I had to go out to the modern clubs and gay centers and talk to younger gay men. Do you continue to receive much criticism from conservatives regard- ing the gay content in your films? Let me say it is much easier now than when I started. The achievements


we (the LGBTQ community) have made worldwide are amazing. My early films in the late 1980s were either banned or I had a hard time raising money for them. It wasn’t until my films started to be shown outside of Israel that it began to become easier. When I madeYossi & Jagger, the Israeli military would not give me any access. They said, “Absolutely not.” When it got out that I was preparing the sequel, the military came to me and said, “What do you need?” Wow, that is amazing! So, what’s next for you? Or do we have to wait another 5 to 10 years? I’m working on a few different projects, mostly for television. I’m kind of sad


to admit that. I’m afraid everything is moving to TV. I am developing a show in Israel about a gay rabbi. That sounds great! Anything else you want my readers to know? Sublet is going to be shown here this weekend (the last weekend of May),


finally. And in a theatre! I’m so happy that the film is finally being shown. We were supposed to premiere in April 2020, but the festival was cancelled due to COVID. I’m happy that those of us who made it are now able to have closure with the film. And I’m happy we can travel again! Sublet lets people see Tel Aviv but they can also come visit us. We are coming back to life! Now that I think of it, that’s like the characters in the film. We’re all coming back to life.


Photo by Daniel Miller


Chris Carpenter has been writing about entertainment since 1996 and a member of Team Rage since 2012. He is a founding member and vice president emeritus of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.


JUNE 2021| @theragemonthly 17


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