Synonyms (2019)

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

Director:

Nadav Lapid

Writers:

Nadav Lapid (screenplay), Haim Lapid (screenplay)

Stars:

Tom Mercier, Quentin Dolmaire, Louise Chevillotte

5 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Mercier	...	Yoav
Quentin Dolmaire	...	Emile
Louise Chevillotte	...	Caroline
Uria Hayik	...	Yaron
Olivier Loustau	...	Michel
Yehuda Almagor	...	Yoav's Father
Gaya Von Schwarze	...	Tamar
Gal Amitai	...	Eyal
Idan Ashkenazi	...	Roey
Dolev Ohana	...	Amit
Liron Baranes	...	Officer
Erwan Ribard	...	Tolga
Yawen Ribard	...	Tolga's Son
Iman Amara-Korba	...	Yasmina
Sébastien Robinet	...	Police Agent

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

male frontal nudity | male nudity | gay interest | male rear nudity | male full frontal nudity | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Tom Mercier.

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Goofs

A cable man can be spotted on Michel's helmet in the close-up shots of him riding the motorcycle.

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Quotes

Yoav: The Seine is a test that the city sets you. Its beauty is a bribe this city pays strangers to keep them from the heart of the city, which is neither beauty, nor women, nor grandeur, but something else I have not yet discovered.
Emile: Heck of a speech. I'm not sure the heart you mention exists. Rot and banality, sure. Same as everywhere.

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Soundtracks

Hymne royal thailandais
Written by Phraya Sri Suntornvoharn

User Reviews

Provocateur

The disproportionate quantity of 1s over 10s received by this title shows that it has achieved its purpose, which is -in my view- to expose ideologies as they are in its strongest sense. Those reviewers who have felt their world questioned have reacted as expected. I do not think that this should be taken personally by anyone, it exposes ethnocentrism an nationalism alike (present in any of us, and more in some societies). The scene of the character trying to provoke and elicit negative sentiments by wearing a kippah or telling clients in a night club "I come from Israel and I am a Jewish", only to elicit a 'so what' response, is something very frequent. I have seen this attitude very often in nationalists of different kind, who think that the rest of the world is thinking 'non stop' about them. There is a coloured beggar in my neighbourhood; I never gave him any money, so that he calls me racist every time he sees me... Regarding nudities, I can just talk about the Italian painter of the Renaissance Danielle da Volterra. He was charged by the Vatican to paint underpants in all figures appearing nude in the pictures and frescoes of Michel Angelo. He was nicknamed 'il braghetone'. Having lived in different countries, maybe I am more sensitive of some issues handled in this picture. You enter (nude) a new world only to be considered a 'lesser person' because you are not 'the same as the others'.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

France Israel Germany

Language:

French Hebrew English

Release Date:

25 October 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

Synonymes

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,891, 27 October 2019

Gross USA:

$206,003

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$501,223

Company Credits

Production Co:

SBS Films, Pie Films, Arte France Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1