What to watch in Israel this week: Gal Gadot, 'Hooligans' is bold, ‘American Classic’ charms

Fans of Gal Gadot can look forward to her latest film, 'In the Hand of Dante,' which begins streaming on Netflix on June 24. Directed by acclaimed painter-turned-filmmaker Julian Schnabel, known for 'Before Night Falls' and 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,' this movie offers a departure from Gadot's previous Netflix thrillers. The film weaves a narrative around the surfacing of a manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy, incorporating a period storyline featuring Dante himself. Gadot portrays a mysterious woman across both timelines, sharing the screen with stars like Oscar Isaac, Al Pacino, Martin Scorsese, and Gerard Butler.

As the World Cup approaches, Israeli viewers will have access to live matches on KAN 11 and the Sports Channel. However, the series 'Hooligans,' available on the KAN website, delves into the less glamorous aspects of professional soccer. The show stars popular young Israeli actor Ben Sultan as Meni, an army deserter entangled with a local crime gang that operates around soccer matches. Meni becomes an informant for the police, spying on the very fans he initially aided, offering a stark look at the antisocial behavior sometimes associated with extreme sports fandom.

Meanwhile, the HBO series 'Euphoria,' a US adaptation of an Israeli show, concluded its third and final season with a widely criticized ending. While the first two seasons captured the spirit of the original, the third season, lacking further inspiration from its Israeli counterpart, shifted focus to the darker underbelly of drug and sex trades, moving its young characters into young adulthood. The finale, which foreshadowed a significant death from the first season, ultimately pivoted away from its core young cast, leaving many viewers disappointed with the direction and execution of the season.