Israel, the new millennium, and bombs are going off on the edges of Jerusalem. But in Haim Tabakman’s controversial, taboo-breaking début feature, these are nothing like the fireworks exploding behind the closed doors of the city’s tight-knit, ultra-Orthodox community, when one of its own falls head over heels in love with a handsome young outsider. Lust or love, or something else – who is to say? But in this story of a forbidden love, Aaron, a happily married father of four, crosses a fault-line when he takes-up with Ezri, his assistant and a religious outcast. First, he is told to get rid of Ezri, then his shop is stoned and, finally, he is visited by the Decency Police, a real-life squad of enforcers that tries to keep Orthodox problems out of the eyes of the world and the secular police. Aaron’s tender wife never reproaches him but her suffering is, of course, more eloquent than any protest. Will wise communal heads prevail? And how will this pair reconcile the clash between their Orthodox faith and their actions with familial responsibilities? First premièred to much acclaim at Cannes earlier this year, Eyes Wide Open is one of the widely sought after films on the international film festival circuit.