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How much of director Amos Guttman's own personal experiences are reflected in Drifting is open to conjecture. It is true that the film's central character, played by Jonathan Segelle, is a movie director. Already hampered by his lack of funds, Segelle has difficulty gaining acceptance in the filmmaking community because of his open homosexuality. Segelle's self-image takes a beating when he submits to the sexual overtures of a Palestinian radical. As the first Israeli film with unabashed gay themes, Drifting was the center of a storm of controversy upon its first release. Critics were quick to see, however, that the film was not designed as exploitation or titillation, and as a result championed Drifting, enabling the film to secure strong Middle-Eastern play dates.