Jonathan Agassi was one of the world’s most successful gay adult stars, but a meteoric rise in the industry led to a difficult decline, accelerated by drug addiction and depression.
Filmmaker Tomer Heymann approached Agassi soon after the performer had made it big and proposed a documentary. He had no idea what sort of film he’d end up making.
“I wanted a very happy film about a man who left Israel and became a huge [adult] star all over the world,” Agassi told The Guardian. “But life came along, and things happened. Everything changed very fast.”
Filmed over eight years, Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life offers a rare and intimate look at the world of gay adult entertainment and escorting, as well as a unique relationship between a mother and son.
“This film definitely saved me,” Agassi, who has since left the business and embraced a healthier lifestyle, said. “When I saw it for the first time, I said, ‘I will never go back to this state of mind again.’”
Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life won the Ophir Prize (Israeli Oscar) for Best Documentary and screened at several international and LGBTQ film festivals including IDFA, Newfest and Outfest. Later this month, a reedited cut will open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles, with a wider distribution to follow.
Check out the trailer:
Via Queerty
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