Synonyms

'Sinónimos', 2019

Yoav, a young Israeli man, has a one-way ticket to Paris believing France to be his salvation from what he sees as the madness of his country. Things don't get off to a great start as he discovers his living arrangement is unfit for living, yet his grandiose expectations leave no room for a failure to adapt. Wholehearted in his resolution to erase his Jewish-Israeli origins, he refuses to speak Hebrew and obsessively studies his constant companion, a French dictionary. He develops a particularly strong bond with his privileged neighbor who symbolizes - to Yoav - the French promise of fraternité. Nothing can extinguish Yoav's determination to be thoroughly French. Based on the real-life experiences of writer-director Nadav Lapid, SYNONYMS explores the conflicted realm of fervent Nationalism and the challenges of putting down roots in a foreign land.

Yoav, a young Israeli man, has a one-way ticket to Paris believing France to be his salvation from what he sees as the madness of his country. Things don't get off to a great start as he discovers his living arrangement is unfit for living, yet his grandiose expectations leave no room for a failure to adapt. Wholehearted in his resolution to erase his Jewish-Israeli origins, he refuses to speak Hebrew and obsessively studies his constant companion, a French dictionary. He develops a particularly strong bond with his privileged neighbor who symbolizes - to Yoav - the French promise of fraternité. Nothing can extinguish Yoav's determination to be thoroughly French. Based on the real-life experiences of writer-director Nadav Lapid, SYNONYMS explores the conflicted realm of fervent Nationalism and the challenges of putting down roots in a foreign land.

Director

Nadav Lapid

Runtime

123 minutes

Type

Feature

Genre

Comedy, Drama

Movie poster image
Synonyms

Nadav Lapid, 2019

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General Information

Rating

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Countries

France, Germany, Israel

Languages

French

Awards

International Cinematographers' Film Festival Manaki Brothers

Nominated

2019

Golden Camera 300

Lumiere Awards, France

Nominated

2020

Most Promising Actor (Meilleure révélation masculine)

Lumiere Award

Winner(s): Tom Mercier

Bergen International Film Festival

Nominated

2019

Cinema Extraordinaire

Faro Island Film Festival

Nominated

2020

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Golden Carp Film Award - International

Nominated

2020

Favorite Actor

Copihue de Oro Award

Winner(s): Tom Mercier

International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA)

Nominated

2020

Best Non-English Language Film

EDA Award

Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival

Winner

2019

Golden Bear

Prizes of the FIPRESCI Jury

Transatlantyk Festival: Lodz

Nominated

2019

Premiere Screenings

Kaleidoscope

Storyline

A young Israeli man absconds to Paris to flee his nationality, aided by his trusty Franco-Israeli dictionary.

Yoav, a young Israeli man, has a one-way ticket to Paris believing France to be his salvation from what he sees as the madness of his country. Things don't get off to a great start as he discovers his living arrangement is unfit for living, yet his grandiose expectations leave no room for a failure to adapt. Wholehearted in his resolution to erase his Jewish-Israeli origins, he refuses to speak Hebrew and obsessively studies his constant companion, a French dictionary. He develops a particularly strong bond with his privileged neighbor who symbolizes - to Yoav - the French promise of fraternité. Nothing can extinguish Yoav's determination to be thoroughly French. Based on the real-life experiences of writer-director Nadav Lapid, SYNONYMS explores the conflicted realm of fervent Nationalism and the challenges of putting down roots in a foreign land.

No displayable synopsis available

Summary

Yoav, a young Israeli man, has a one-way ticket to Paris believing France to be his salvation from what he sees as the madness of his country. Things don't get off to a great start as he discovers his living arrangement is unfit for living, yet his grandiose expectations leave no room for a failure to adapt. Wholehearted in his resolution to erase his Jewish-Israeli origins, he refuses to speak Hebrew and obsessively studies his constant companion, a French dictionary. He develops a particularly strong bond with his privileged neighbor who symbolizes - to Yoav - the French promise of fraternité. Nothing can extinguish Yoav's determination to be thoroughly French. Based on the real-life experiences of writer-director Nadav Lapid, SYNONYMS explores the conflicted realm of fervent Nationalism and the challenges of putting down roots in a foreign land.

Synopsis

No displayable synopsis available

Logline

A young Israeli man absconds to Paris to flee his nationality, aided by his trusty Franco-Israeli dictionary.

Cast & crew

Cast

Tom Mercier

Actor

Quentin Dolmaire

Actor

Louise Chevillotte

Actress

Crew

Director

Nadav Lapid

Screenwriter

Haim Lapid

Screenwriter

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