I first met Boaz Yakin at a special screening for Jason Statham’s SAFE. I was impressed with both him and the movie. While it wasn’t the first time I was delighted with his work, it certainly hasn’t been the last. Boaz has made a career of taking on different genres and adding his voice to them. From the fan-favorite REMEMBER THE TITANS, to more personal features including DEATH IN LOVE and A PRICE ABOVE RUBIES, he never settles for the obvious. He’s a storyteller who cares about the story, and it’s a wondrous thing.
Aside from being a talented writer and director, Boaz is also a kind and humane artist. And when I finally had the chance to see his latest film, I was mesmerized. AVIVA is like nothing you’ve seen before. It’s a beautifully realized tale of sex and romance, without being sleazy or disrespectful. It’s a love story, one that is far more unique than most. And it’s a dance musical that is raw, potent, shocking, funny, and beyond beautiful. I love AVIVA. Rarely does a romantic feature film openly portray sexuality in such a satisfyingly honest way.
I recently sat down with Boaz on Zoom for We Live to discuss this astonishing work. If you aren’t aware, there are two main characters in the film, with each played by a man and a woman. He opened up about his decision to take that view of a love story and mix in the power of dance. He discussed working with his choreographer, Bobbi Jene Smith, and bringing her expertise in dance to this eloquent tale of love and friendship. We chatted about the sexuality and the fearlessness that came with it, as well as the challenge of finding the right studio to bring this amazing work to audiences.
AVIVA will be available in a virtual theatrical release opening with select partners in New York and Los Angeles exclusively on ROW8.com!
If you are looking for a little beauty in this crazy world, I highly recommend checking out this incredible masterwork from the talented filmmaker.
