A Man Walks Down the Street

It’s truly astounding how many individuals don’t know themselves and consequently end up making wrong-headed choices in their lives. Regrettably, that’s often the case for many in the LGBTQ+ community, who place concerns about social ostracism above personal happiness and fulfillment, giving in to the notion of “what would people think?” So it is for Ranaan (Angel Bonanni), a 52-year-old closeted gay man who fled his native Tel Aviv 30 years earlier to escape the possible ramifications of his true sexuality being discovered. His younger self (Gili Blum) emigrated to Holland after completing his Israeli military service, where he settled into a quiet life as an architecture teacher. He wisely left behind an unsuitable cover relationship with his girlfriend, Michal (Ashley Zimberg Tao). But, sadly, he also gave up a loving on-the-side partnership with an older gentleman, Itzik (Uri Banai), who was arguably the best thing to ever happen to him, largely because he was unwilling to come out and live his life in the open. However, ultimately, there’s no escaping the impact of such decisions, as Ranaan discovers when he returns to Israel three decades later to clear out his deceased mother’s apartment. This journey brings him face to face with his past when he spots an elder Itzik (Itzik Saydof) walking down the street, reviving memories of his youth through a series of flashbacks. Ranaan is also reminded of that earlier time in his life when he becomes involved with a free-spirited young man, Adir (Yotam Rotschtain), who bears a striking resemblance to a younger Itzik and reflects everything that the protagonist could have been in his youth if only he had given himself permission to listen to his heart. What’s more, this understanding extends beyond his romantic life and into his vocational calling, having rejected prospects of becoming a gifted illustrator and settling for a career in architecture for fear that his true passion would readily identify him as a gay man ins...