Jonathan Agassi Examined by Israeli Newspaper Haaretz

Jonathan Agassi Examined by Israeli Newspaper Haaretz

CYBERSPACE – Jonathan Agassi is the subject of a lengthy examination on Haaretz.com, the website for the venerable Israeli newspaper, tied to the award-winning new documentary feature “Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life” by Tomer Heymann.

The Jerusalem Film Festival recently awarded the doc the prize for Best Israeli Documentary Feature. That honor was bestowed, the festival said, “due to its powerful main character and narrative that reflects society’s complexity. A rare and intimate look at the world of porn and escorting, as well as a unique mother and son relationship, redefining familiar family norms.”

Heymann has described Agassi as “the biggest porn star to ever have come out of Israel.”

The director’s life and career is also examined, alongside Agassi, in the Haaretz.com feature.

“The film’s style suits the multilayered presence of Jonathan himself, certainly in regard to the protagonist of a documentary,” notes journalist Uri Klein. “His exterior appearance and his richly tattooed body project extroverted masculinity, hence the high effectiveness of the drama when his life shatters into fragments.”

The article takes note of director Heymann’s central theme of family and connection, a thread that runs through his oeuvre.

“Heymann’s preoccupation with family continues in ‘Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life.’ The other significant person in addition to Jonathan is his mother, who supports and accepts him even when she is critical of him,” writes Klein. “Jonathan’s mother is the only firm rock in his life, but she, too, knows where the boundary between them runs. In one of the film’s best scenes, Jonathan says to his mother that he’s her man and she corrects him with the tough softness that characterizes her: ‘No, you’re my boy.’”

Klein observes the attitude of Agassi’s mother towards her son “parallels” that of Heymann for the subject of his film, “even if Heymann obviously doesn’t possess the same emotional tie to Jonathan. Neither of them judge him, and this makes possible the supportive relationship between Jonathan and his mother and also allows Heymann’s picture to be balanced and controlled even when the reality it presents is wild and ugly.”

The film is “free of sensationalism and certainly of sentimentality,” Klein says, nor does it “turn its gaze away from the reality it depicts, and which at times is shown to us in a harrowing head-on mode.”

“The interplay between intimate, even soft scenes and scenes that are difficult to watch – and there are plenty of those – makes this a film that presents to us a wounded humanity and itself as an open wound.”

The film will be broadcast over four episodes on Channel 8 in Israel, where the Heymann retains distribution rights. Vienna-based Autlook Filmsales has picked it up for worldwide representation; click here for details.

Click here to read the entire feature; registration may be required.

Find Agassi on Instagram.

Photo credit: Tomas Shemesh.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Michael Ninn Returns With 'Catherine' Sequel Made Entirely by AI

Veteran filmmaker Michael Ninn, though retired from the adult business for the past 10 years, recently unveiled a new episodic project titled "Catherine II: The Series," which serves as a sequel to his 2005 adult film "Catherine."

Alison Rey Stars in Latest From New Sensations

Alison Rey stars with Isiah Maxwell in the latest release from New Sensations.

Bad Bella Fronts Latest From MYLF

Bad Bella stars with Hayden Wild in the latest release from MYLF.

Abella Danger Opens Up Like Never Before in X3 Magazine

Powerhouse star Abella Danger lights up the latest issue of X3 magazine, the industry’s premier “authenticity first” publication spotlighting the real personalities, passions, and stories behind today’s top creators.

Pure Taboo Debuts Bree Mills Thriller 'Let Me In Too'

Reagan Foxx stars with Shay Sights in the latest thriller from Pure Taboo, titled “Let Me In Too.”

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

Hookup Hotshot Adds TobyDick.com

Hookup Hotshot (HUHS) has added U.K. paysite TobyDick.com to its network.

Leana Lovings, Shay Sights Front 'Substance' Parody From Brazzers

Leana Lovings stars with Shay Sights in the latest release from Brazzers, a parody of "The Substance.”

Little Puck Stars in Latest Episode of 'The Bottom Floor' From Adult Time

Little Puck stars in the second episode of Adult Time series “The Bottom Floor,” titled “The Second Coming.”

Haley Spades Stars in Latest From Immoral

Haley Spades stars with Charlie Dean, Matt Bird, and Dean Van Damme in a new three-part release from Immoral Productions, directed by "Porno Dan" Leal.

Show More