Weekend Culture Guide: New TV Series, Art Events, Film Festivals, and Music Documentaries

The weekend offers a diverse range of cultural events and new releases. Sharon Horgan, creator of "Catastrophe" and "Divorce Before Marriage," returns with an eight-episode HBO drama titled "Bad Sisters." The series, also called "Bad Sisters," stars Horgan as Alex, a 50-year-old divorced literary agent whose son leaves for college, forcing her to confront the empty nest syndrome. Horgan describes being 50 as "the youth of old age" and explores Alex's journey to find love, navigate sex in her fifties, care for her parents, and understand her son's university troubles. The show is noted for its blend of humor and emotion, similar to "Catastrophe" but less edgy than "Bad Sisters."

A queer fashion and art event, "Shopping Brunch in Drag and Queer Fashion," will take place this weekend at "Gila and Nancy," a restaurant named after transgender pioneers. The event will feature fashion designers, artists, tattoo artists, and LGBTQ+ stylists selling second-hand items. Attendees can enjoy a brunch by chef Eyal Shani and the venue's drag show. Participating artists include jeweler Nir Brokhiyal, sustainable fashion designer David Wexler, photographer Shi Cole, and ceramic artist Omri Danino. The event is located at 8 Levontin Street, Tel Aviv, with a 10 shekel entrance fee.

The Haifa Film Festival is showcasing a culinary film series curated by Hila Alpert. This year's lineup includes "Burgundy," a documentary about the world of Burgundy wines, featuring a post-screening discussion with wine experts. Also featured is the comedy "Hello Betty," about a young advertiser who becomes a culinary icon, followed by a discussion on women in the food industry. The series concludes with "Divine Dessert," a film about a real estate agent falling for a pastry chef, with a talk by pastry chef Sunny Darai.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of playwright Nissim Aloni's birth, a series of events will be held at the Jaffa Theater. An exhibition will highlight Aloni's artistic connection with Yosl Bergner, featuring posters, photographs, and sketches. Readings and dramatizations of his work will be performed by actors including Gila Almagor. The documentary "Once Upon a King" about Aloni's life and work will also be screened. Curator Dori Frans notes Aloni's influence in bringing European theater to Israel and moving Israeli drama towards universal themes.

An exhibition titled "Non-Fixity" by artists Orit Ishai and Eti Avrgel at the Art Gallery in Kfar Yehoshua explores the deconstruction of the utopian Zionist vision. The exhibition features metallic, wooden, and fabric installations, with many objects sourced from the moshav. Ishai transformed the gallery space into a factory-like structure, inspired by her father's neon sign factory, while Avrgel created "wounded" objects and works referencing agriculture and the moshav, including a hand-woven corn husk rug shaped like Kfar Yehoshua.

Streaming service Mubi is highlighting two new music documentaries. "What Will You Play for the Encore" documents the reunion tour of the band Pulp and serves as a visual autobiography of frontman Jarvis Cocker. Additionally, an eight-part documentary series, "Jay-Z: Made in America," features conversations between producer Rick Rubin and Jay-Z, exploring the stories behind his music.