Here’s a gay love connection that screams doomed and gloomy from the start: a Palestinian and Israeli. But as star-crossed lovers go, affluent Tel Aviv lawyer Roy (Michael Aloni) and Islamic-reared student Nimr (Nicholas Jacob) are highly watchable. First-time director Michael Mayer almost completely convinces us of the plausibility of their tragic circumstances, and while this 2012 import comes nowhere near the majesty of Iran’s A Separation, it does provide a similarly gritty realism and feeling of intimacy. Mayer captures the contrasts between uptown Tel Aviv and outlying areas, managing lovely humane details between the broad strokes. Thurs. Oct. 10, 9 p.m., Tampa Theatre.
