Bar Friedman | Homo Sapiens / 2019

passing the exam

by Douglas Messerli

 

Bar Friedman (screenwriter and director) Homo Sapiens / 2019 [20 minutes]

 

Slow and rather uncomprehending students Bar (Bar Friedman) and Meni (Meni Gross) are attending a classroom lecture, but neither of them can even slightly discern what the professor is talking about. All they seem interested in is the upcoming preview of their favorite franchise move, “Manlyman,” obviously a satirical dig at all the tough heterosexual macho films that dominate the movie theaters these days.

     Yair (Yair Israel) is an outstanding student, although I already question some of his comments concerning “racial theories.” But we have to ignore that, apparently, since Meni soon after observes to Bar, the Yair is a homosexual.

     Bar does wonder how he friend might be able to recognize him as one, but again that question is shelved in this rather negligible comic work, by the fact that Bar is afraid he might fail the course and because he lives nearby asks to study with him so that he might pass and enjoy “Manlyman” without remorse.

     Yair, who clearly is just happy that someone is friendly to him, readily agrees, particularly since they both live in Netanya. Just to be sure that Yair knows, however, that he’s not interested in sex, he makes it clear that he’s not gay.

    When Yair wonders why he might be telling him this, Bar relates it to the possibility of making a “move on a girl,” Yair, rightfully wondering whether the rather ignorant boy has ever made “a move” on anyone.

      Bar can only equate his comments to things he’s seen in the movies.

     But he doesn’t stop there, as Bar equates it to the attraction that some straight men have to lesbians, with Yair asking whether he himself has ever been attracted to a lesbian. Of course, we recognize Bar’s full knowledge of human relationships is basically based on the “Manlyman” kind of movies of which he is so fond.

      What Bar doesn’t know is that Yair also studies with the good-looking Amir (Amir Keren)  

     Poor dumb Bar can’t even imagine that since he is not attracted to boys how he might know that Amir is good looking, as if he were blind as well as ignorant.

      As if he needs to prove his ignorance, Bar wonders if Martin Luther wasn’t the one involved with the revolution of the negroes. He perceives the phrase “Homo sapiens” to have something with gay people with even realizing that he is one. The problem with this short film quickly becomes believability.

     Strangely enough, when Amir does show up, even Bar, perhaps for the first time in his life, sees just how handsome the man is. He has begun, just a little, to see things from a gay man’s eyes. Bar asks perhaps his first gay question: “If I am gay can I be attracted to myself?” It is, obviously, the question gays have to ask themselves, given the myth of Narcisus.

      The next day Bar is back with his friend Meni attending a movie preview of “Batman vs. Dracula,” not as good as “Manlyman,” obviously, but worth the visit. There he encounters, outside the theater, two men kissing one another. Bar is more than intrigued. Suddenly the manager of the movie sends the two men away for their public display, and our poor dumb hero is more than ever confused. He startled that they were sent away just because they were gay. And suddenly he wonders what they might do about the injustice, and muses even the fact that the two of them never have done anything about any social matter.

      It appears that our backward student is learning faster that his mind can ever assimilate what he is perceiving about the world. Entering the theater, he suddenly confronts the ticket taker, telling him that he should be ashamed of behaving that way in 2019. “How can you dare not let people into the movies just because you decided, you have some stupid opinion?” People behind him want to know what’s going on, and suddenly, again for the first time in his life, Bar turns and speaks out in a public matter explaining what truly is going on. “What’s going on is something I’m so embarrassed to tell. This man doesn’t let people into the movies solely on the basis of their sexual identity.” The people wonder why he has let his “partner” in and not him. And now, even more confused, Bar makes a public apologia for the way we treat homosexuals. It is a slightly amazing transition in his whole behavior that is more than touching, despite the film’s comic intent. And running forward to take one of the gay man’s hand, Bar goes even further, proclaiming “This homo is much more of a person than you are.”

     Yet the reality is far different from what Bar can imagine. The ticket manager speaks out: “This homo has been the love of my life for the past five years. And this homo left me for that son of a bitch,” he screams pointing at the man who whom he friend had been kissing. They have come to show off their love in front of him, and he has reacted in a personal manner that Bar could simply not comprehend given his imaginary “Manlyman” life with his friend Meni. Meni pulls his friend away, suggesting it was a mistake for them to attend the film as they hurry off.

     When Bar and Yair get together to study together again, Bar goes on about the difficulty he has with trying to find a woman, suggesting that it is so much easier with men. Yair reminds him that they are there to study. Suddenly Bar makes a connection: if Darwin is about the survival of the fittest, how can gays who cannot reproduce survive? Another important question, clearly, for gay men.

     Yair answers in a most curious and clearly sarcastic way, claiming that he’s surprised that Bar has not heard that homosexuals are the fittest. Finally, Yair breaks down into a laugh, one of the few moments where he reveals he is not just about his studies, and an endearing moment for both of them. Clearly there is nothing better to break down ignorance and prejudice that simply sharing time with a gay friend.

      Finally, their studies over, Bar thanks is new friend for helping him and hopes that they get to know one another better. He really feels like he has learned something. We never experience what he has come to know about history for the course he is taking, but we do he has learned something about interpersonal relationships that we will never forget.

    After the exam Meri joins him, asking a rather homophobic question: “Who gave you all the answers, that homo?” as Bar looks over to see the handsome Amir having a conversation nearby with Yair.

    Now they can celebrate, suggests Meni, by seeing the newest installment of their favorite movie together.

     But something has changed. Bar is tired, so he claims, after the exam and is ready to pass on the movie. “It’s not a movie,” insists Meni, “it is Manlyman, ahhhh!” as he imitates their macho cry. 

      It’s means perhaps a true closure of Bar’s and Meni’s relationship as the latter walks off disgusted.

     Bar moves toward Yair, inviting him out to celebrate after the exams. Yair agrees, but soon after a new figure, Michael (Ben Manofla), obviously Yair’s boyfriend joins them, Bar a bit confused by the new addition to his growing acquaintances.

    Bar tries to bow out, suggesting that actually he is planning to go to the movie; but they are perfectly willing to join him. He tries to explain about his hetero obsession, but they simply describe it as something they’re interested in as well, “men in underwear.”

      He walks off. Michael describing him as perhaps a little homophobic. But that is not Bar’s problem. He has formed an attachment with Yair, and he realizes that it is not a world he can fully enter as a straight man.

      This time he is hailed by the ticket taker he formerly assaulted who compliments him on his taste for “Manlyman,” introducing himself as Roei (Gary Babadjanov). Roei now expresses his appreciation how Bar had previously stood up for the community and invites him to meet with him later. But now Bar can only try to mutter something about his own sexuality, but immediately noticing the open smile of Roei has no choice, ultimately, but to agree to a meet-up. Suddenly looking around the theater Bar notices straight couples, young lesbian girls, even a polyamorous trio, all attending the same movie, joining them with a new sense of liberation.

     If this Israeli film asks you to leave reality behind you, the engaging character Bar, nonetheless, has been transformed, and what a lovely journey that has been, although it is hard to know where it might lead him.

 

Los Angeles, July 3, 2026

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (July 2026).