Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life

Jonathan Agassi is a highly successful Israeli gay porn star. The director Tomer Heymann followed him for eight years, both in his temporary hometown of Berlin and back in Tel Aviv with his mother. Alongside his film acting, he performs in live porn shows and works as an escort. The filmmaker documents all his activities, and although Jonathan claims he has the best job in the world and says it has actually saved his life, it soon becomes apparent that he’s not particularly happy. He’s haunted by boyhood traumas, and his relationship with his largely absent father is problematic. With his mother, the bond is loving but complicated. Jonathan, who adopted the stage name Agassi as a firm identity to counter his sense of instability, seems nonchalant as he performs the countless sex acts with which he earns his living, yet increasingly he resorts to hard drugs to numb his feelings. Eventually, after a terrifying trip on drugs, he’s forced to see the harsh reality of his extreme lifestyle. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)