2024,
Arabic,
French,
Gaza,
Hebrew,
Palestine,
Talleen Abu Hanna,
Director: Yolande Zauberman
Release Year: 2024
Original title: La belle de Gaza
Synopsis:
"La Belle de Gaza" (2024), the documentary by French director Yolande Zauberman, captures the struggles, hopes, and complex identities of transgender women in Tel Aviv, Israel. The film has garnered attention for its exploration of the lives of trans women, especially those who have traveled from the Palestinian territories seeking refuge, freedom, and a chance to live as their true selves in Israel’s most progressive city regarding LGBTQ+ rights. One of the standout figures in the film is Talleen Abu Hanna, an Israeli Arab model and actress, who not only plays a central role in the documentary but also symbolizes the multifaceted intersection of trans identity, ethnicity, and the broader Middle Eastern socio-political context.
At the heart of "La Belle de Gaza" is the elusive story of a young transgender woman, rumored to have fled Gaza on foot to reach Tel Aviv, a daring journey in search of safety and personal transformation. This legend captures Yolande Zauberman’s imagination and sets the stage for her exploration of the lives of transgender women in Israel. While the ‘Belle from Gaza’ remains largely an abstraction, the film uncovers the experiences of other trans women who have similarly sought refuge in Tel Aviv, each with their own stories of survival, rejection, and the quest for acceptance.
Zauberman, who spent nearly five years filming, intertwines these women’s testimonies with reflections on their pasts, struggles with their families and societies, and their often perilous lives in Israel. The documentary paints a portrait of women who have faced violence, marginalization, and abuse in both their homes and in their journeys, but it also highlights the moments of joy, acceptance, and the quiet victories they achieve by carving out spaces for themselves in a city that, while progressive in some respects, remains deeply conflicted.
Among the many women featured, Talleen Abu Hanna stands out not only for her personal story but for her public prominence. Born in Nazareth to a Catholic Israeli Arab family, Talleen came out as transgender at the age of 14. Her decision to transition led her to move to Tel Aviv, where she could live openly as a woman and pursue her dreams. Talleen’s visibility in Israeli society has been groundbreaking—she was crowned Miss Trans Israel in 2016, the first transgender woman to win the title, and later competed in the Miss Israel pageant, further challenging conventions about beauty, identity, and inclusion.
In "La Belle de Gaza", Talleen’s story is woven into the broader narrative of transgender women from the Palestinian territories and Israel. Her rise to fame and her experiences as a public figure contrast with the often dangerous lives of the other trans women in the documentary, some of whom are sex workers on Hatnufa Street in South Tel Aviv. The juxtaposition of Talleen’s public success and the struggles of these women sheds light on the spectrum of trans experiences—ranging from acceptance and fame to invisibility and exploitation.
As a prominent figure in Israeli LGBTQ+ culture, Talleen has become a symbol of resilience and hope. She has used her platform to advocate for transgender rights and to provide support to other trans individuals, particularly in her role as a speaker at Pride events and youth shelters. Her story is not just one of personal triumph but also one of social change, highlighting the role of public visibility in advancing the rights and acceptance of marginalized communities.
What makes "La Belle de Gaza" so compelling is its exploration of the intersectionality between transgender identity and the broader sociopolitical landscape of the Middle East. Talleen’s experience as an Israeli Arab and her dual identity as both Israeli and Palestinian add layers of complexity to her personal journey. In the documentary, Talleen discusses the challenge of reconciling her Palestinian heritage with her Israeli citizenship, particularly in a country where political tensions run deep and issues of identity are intensely fraught.
Her experience resonates with other trans women in the film, some of whom have fled the Palestinian territories to escape persecution, abuse, and even death threats. The documentary reveals the painful realities these women face, from being rejected by their families and communities to enduring violence at the hands of society. For many, the journey to Tel Aviv is not just about escaping violence—it is about escaping a society where their very existence is criminalized or seen as a disgrace.
While Tel Aviv offers a relative sense of safety and more progressive views on LGBTQ+ rights, the documentary also reveals the paradoxes within Israeli society. For all its modernity and openness, Tel Aviv remains a city where trans women are still viewed as outsiders. Even in a progressive space like Tel Aviv, many transgender women live in the shadows, working on the fringes of society, in fear of being outed or harassed.
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One of the most interesting—and controversial—aspects of "La Belle de Gaza" is its treatment of privacy, consent, and the ethical dilemmas inherent in documentary filmmaking. Zauberman’s approach has been critiqued for its sometimes intrusive questioning and the decision to deadname one of the subjects on camera, a moment that underscores the film’s raw, unfiltered nature but also raises questions about respect for transgender individuals’ identities. These moments of discomfort serve as a reminder that the personal is always political, and in portraying these women’s lives, the film asks difficult questions about how far filmmakers should go in their pursuit of truth.
Zauberman’s decision to center her film on transgender women in Israel is also fraught with political implications, particularly given the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The title, "La Belle de Gaza", has been criticized for its potential to politicize the personal stories of these women. Critics have pointed out that by focusing on the lives of trans women who have crossed from the Palestinian territories into Israel, the film could be seen as making a political statement about the relative freedoms of Israel versus the oppression of the Palestinian territories. While Zauberman insists that the film is not a political statement, it is impossible to separate the personal stories of these women from the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Talleen Abu Hanna’s participation in "La Belle de Gaza" marks a significant moment in her career. She became the first trans-Israeli actress to star in a film at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film premiered in May 2024. Her appearance at Cannes, walking the red carpet as a transgender woman, is not only a personal achievement but a landmark moment for transgender representation in film. As an actress and public figure, Talleen continues to break barriers and challenge norms, not just in Israel, but globally.
Talleen’s story is a reminder that, for many transgender individuals, the journey toward self-acceptance and freedom is not linear. It involves overcoming both internal and external obstacles, navigating complex cultural landscapes, and, in the case of "La Belle de Gaza", confronting the deep political and personal divisions that define the Middle East.
In "La Belle de Gaza", Yolande Zauberman captures a raw and intimate portrait of the lives of transgender women who have sought refuge and freedom in Tel Aviv. Through the lens of Talleen Abu Hanna and other trans women, the documentary sheds light on the struggles and resilience of a marginalized community. It is a film that is as much about identity as it is about survival—an exploration of the complex forces that shape transgender lives in a region where personal and political identities are inextricably linked.
Image credits: YouTube
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