Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival 2009

Paper Dolls follows a group of gay Filipino immigrants in the suburbs of southern Tel Aviv, working as caregivers to elderly Orthodox Jews. They develop a deep familial bond with these elderly men that's suprising and heartwarming. On their one day off a week, these same immigrants entertain their fellow Filipinos with a drag-queen show called “The Paper Dolls."

The change in the government policy towards illegal workers, and the establishment of the immigration police, make the lives of foreigners without a working permit very difficult. Police raids happen daily and the fear of deportation penetrates every corner. Meanwhile the “Paper Dolls” try to continue with their daily routine; work, shows, spending time together, and facing the various layers of Israeli society.

Tomer Heymann captures the powerful struggle against homophobia, xenophobia, and falling bombs in a country that has more than its fair share of all of these ills. Paper Dolls digs into the strangeness of this world, where rejection and acceptance, terrorism and entertainment all co-exist.

Finalist for the Soundpost Feature Film Director Award