A bold and energetic love letter to Paris that won the top prize at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

After completing his military training, Yoav (Tom Mercier) decides to abandon his native Israel and arrives in Paris to a completely empty apartment. Even before he can get a grip on his new life, his only possessions, including his clothes, are stolen leaving him literally naked. After a young French couple rescue him, Yoav throws himself wholeheartedly into his new life, refusing to speak Hebrew and attempting to speak French. Even though Yoav has embraced the Parisian life, his identity and past continue to simmer beneath the surface resulting in a drastic release.

Nadav Lapid's previous two films (THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, POLICEMAN) do not prepare for the tour-de-force that is SYNONYMS. Powered by Tom Mercier's career-defining performance, Lapid’s film raises plenty of worthy questions about establishing a new life in a foreign country and the emotional ties with one’s homeland.

Written by Sachin Gandhi