A film directed by Yariv Mordechai Mozer
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL SUMMER 1989
"Boaz Hi!
It's noon... the plants..."
SNAILS IN THE RAIN
(=SHABLULIM Ba'GESHEM)
To: Boaz Refaeli
P.O.Box 1551, Tel Aviv
Based on the book "Garden of the
Dead Trees" by Yossi Avni Levy
I'll go back to our first lesson, the
metaphor of the Swiss prof. de Saussure
Do you remember the chess game?
There's no difference between him who
follows every single move of the game...
...and him who only comes to watch
at a very critical moment
It's the same thing with languages
We can look at their rules and components
at any given critical moment...
...but we can also see how
these rules change through time
You're late shithead!
- My class was longer.
- "My class was longer"!!
Tell your professor that you need
to get to work on time
What's this?
"Boaz Hi! Don't ask who I am
and how I know you"
"I think of you a lot"
"I'm embarrassed to sit here, near my
plants, and to write you a letter"
"...but I don't have the courage
to do anything more!"
- You wrote this, right?
- Yeah, yeah! "I think of you a lot"!!
Come on now! Hold this closet!
Turn it!
Don't push that much!
- Is it raining?
- The last rain of the season
Come on, move it! The last thing
we need now is rain!
- Did you get a reply from Jerusalem?
- Not yet.
- Why are you all wet and sweaty?
- It was raining earlier.
- A rain?
- Yes, the last rain of the season
I was sure you'd get a reply today
regarding your scholarship
Hands off the cooking pot!
What?
Don't!! Not now!!
Hello?
- Hi Noa! How are both doing?
- Hi Ruth! We're fine. How are you?
I wanted to talk to Boaz regarding his
scholarship. Is he at home?
- Boaz?
- Yes, is he home?
No, no. He hasn't come back
from the University yet.
- And how are you Ruth?
- Fine. I just have a cold...
- Is he going to the children?
- The children...?
- At karate
- Ah... the Judo...
Judo, karate... what ever...!
Please tell him to call me!
I'll tell him that. Bye-bye!
You're cheeky!
I'd like very much to be present
when your mom finds out that...
...her son works as a coolie,
a furniture packer
She'll drop dead on the spot!
She's asked me how you got
all these muscles
And what did you tell her?
I told you that you teach
Judo to kids
That's enough. Go take a shower.
I want you all to look at Arik. When
he started with us, he was like... ugh..
Look now how much he's improved!!
Sucess through hard effort
Arik go back to your place.
Thank you!
If I weren't sweating, I'd kiss you.
Congratulations! Let's start!
From the top!
On your positions. Upright
body posture... and smile!!
Six... Seven... Eight...
Look at each other! At each other!
You are beautiful! Full of pride!
Turn around!
- Stop laughing at me!
- Sorry, I can't help it!
I must take off these horrible shoes
Nir change place with Yoni.
Boaz, wake up!!
- Boaz! Boaz!
- What?
Hang on in there man. We're
in this together. Smile!
Smile!
- Don't fuck it up! Smile!
- Shut your mouths! Run!
You're under fire!
Come on Boaz! Do your best!
I know that you're here!
Your beard is stinging me
I love you!!
"Hi Boaz! It's noon now and I'm
sitting in my office at home..."
"...in a while I'll water my plants..."
"..I grow a geranium near the
kitchen window..."
"I have a tradescantia (=spiderworts)
and a huge plant named Yucca"
"An exotic name with an Indian sound
in it. Don't you think? Yucca!"
"Most of the time I stay home"
"And very rarely, I have the guts
to do anything unusual"
"But I shouldn't burden you with
my embarrassing stories"
"Here, surrounded by these walls,
I live with my most beloved friend..."
"...my loneliness"
"My loneliness and I, we hold hands
in the dark and watch the tele"
"Time is our worst enemy Boaz.
It has no mercy!"
"Some day you too will realize that"
"...Or maybe not"
"You'll soon leave from the post office"
"You'll drive to the University with
your car, a Subaru of 1981"
"In the break, between classes,
you'll have a coffee with applecake"
"And you'll smile to all the girls"
"Afterwards, you'll drive home,
to your girlfriend, who loves you"
"But me Boaz? Who'll love me?"
"At night, you hold her in your arms.
But who will hold me in his arms?"
"I've already written too much!
I can't keep my secrets from you"
"I think of you all the time!"
In Egypt, at Tel-el-Amarna, on the banks
of the Nile and in the winter of 1887...
...there were discovered clay tablets
written in cuneiform Akkadian language
The Akkadian was the international
spoken language, the lingua franca...
...for the Egyptian Empire of that time
and for many Middle Eastern nations.
Something like english today
Therefore, how can these letters sent
from Canaan help us today?
How can they help us understand hebrew
the language that we speak today?
Who will bring to light the
secrets of the Amarna letters?
- Professor Richlin?
- Ah, Boaz!
Have you received any reply
about the scholarship?
That's why I wanted to talk to you
I thought that maybe you could
help me with this matter?
I make recommendations only. You must
be patient. It always takes time.
We've no house in Jerusalem and I wanted
to know if I should start looking for one
Patience! It takes time!
- Coffee sir?
- Yes
Black, one sugar please.
Thank you prof. Richlin
Remember this song?
"There was a dream by the window"
Noa, have you enrolled at the Haifa
Polytechnic already? (=the Technion)
What Haifa and what Technion?
We're going to Jerusalem!
Why study architecture in Haifa
if she can do it in Jerusalem?
She should study to become
a Chef, right?
A pastry Chef...
How long are you together with Boaz?
Next week it'll be one year and
three months. And you two?
- Want more coffee?
- Four and a half years...
...as of two days ago...
Didn't you tell me that you would
enrol at the Technion?
Yeah... but I don't know...
Everything OK?
I'm just checking the material
for my exam tomorrow
Since when do you worry
about exams and tests?
Hold me in your arms!
Boaz, this car is falling apart!
You said the same thing last time too!
Boaz! I must confess something to you!
I fuck your car on purpose 'cause
I love seeing you around here often
Oh boy, you fell for it!
Loosen up man!
Why so serious all of a sudden? The
University is ruining your brains
Hezzi, finish up there and then
take care of his car.
You can have it back in
two days, OK?
How's the cake?
It's just a cake...
When is Boaz coming home?
He's still at the University
If he knew that you were coming...
Do I need to call and tell you that I'm
coming? It's a wasted phonecall!
Alright, I think I've waited
long enough...
- I'm sorry!
- Don't be! It's not your fault.
Tell me Noa... do you two ever
plan to get married?
I don't know
I can only speak for myself
Don't you ever talk about it?
- Maybe it's too early?
- How come "early"?
Tell him to call me, alright? And water
the geranium. It's summer!
I'll tell Boaz. He waters the plants.
And you? What do you do?
Ah... you cook...
Anyway...
I don't smoke
Come on! Try it!
- I'll be late for class
- So what? Me too!
I'd rather be on time
You asked for the "Introduction to
Syntax of the Semitic Languages"?
- Yes, thank you!
- You're welcome, Boaz
How do you know my name?
I saw your student I.D. on the table
Cut it out!
Boaz enough already!
Calm down, handsome!
That's prof. Richlin,
my teacher at the University
Mother!
Why do you look horrified?
- Did you tell us that you're coming?
- Why do I need to inform you?
I simply took the bus and got here.
Where are you going?
To the University
I brought your favored cake and some
honey from Yossi and Nitza's village.
We were there and they asked us
to take them to Tel Aviv
I don't know why people would
want to visit Tel Aviv?
- Mom, I'm in a hurry!
- I'm not holding you up!
- We also visited the village Nir David
- Did you forget something Boaz?
- Ruth! What's this? A cake?
- Yeah, the one that Boaz likes!
I just wanted to bring you some things
and then I'll leave.
What's this smell in the house?
Ah... you're cooking again!!
Boaz, are you following me?
The noises in your car were from
the carburettor
You can pick it up tomorrow morning.
Boaz?
What do you want?
You didn't get your scholarship?
How come? There's no letter yet
Ah... You're so quite...
Boaz, is there something
bothering you?
No! Certainly not!
Shit! I hate it when this happens!
It doesn't matter. They say it's
good luck, right?
I have no idea!
I don't believe in this nonsense
What's there to believe?
Things are just like that
Boaz? Shall we take a bath together?
How long does it take for a letter to
come here, from Jerusalem?
I'm sick of going every morning
to the post office
Do you want me to go there
tomorrow morning?
No, it's OK. It's on my way
to the University
Stop thinking about it now.
It's easy to say that. You do realize
that we must find a house there...?
...and then move to Jerusalem?
There was a guy staring at me
at the library today
A thin guy...
A young man...
wearing a silk shirt
Why do you think he was staring at you?
Because he was staring at me
He had this strange look...
Did you want to stare back at him?
Boaz...! Did you want to
look at him too?
This has nothing to do with me!
Are you alright?
- Are you alright?
- Yeah, I'm alright!
- I'm sorry..
- No, it's OK, it's alright!
Nir go on man! Harder! Nir! Nir!
- Nir! Nir!
- Yoni! Come on Yoni!
(Nir singing in hebrew a famous Greek love song of
the 80's- "Your dark eyes" by Manolis Angelopoulos)
"Your beautiful dark eyes"
remind me of our dreams..."
"...and of those beautiful, quite days..."
"...your smiles and your tender looks"
"...that I cannot get out of my mind..."
"And when you look at me..."
"...I think of sad days..."
Take it. I also changed four spare
parts for extra safety. OK?
A geranium plant?
Yes
On hot days... I should water it
in the evening, but...
...I'm not here in the evening, so
I water it in the morning
I have no choice. I also wet its leaves
so that they remain cool
Haven't you learned that
in your village, Boaz?
It's important to water it in the
evening, on hot days
"My Boaz hi! You'll allow me to
call you like that, won't you?"
"I feel that we already know each other
long enough..."
"A few weeks ago something very
embarrassing happened to me"
"I want to tell you about it. Maybe, this
way you will understand me better"
"I was going to work with a friend, in
his car and we were in central Tel Aviv"
"On a sidewalk, there was
a good looking soldier... "
"...waiting for the light to change..."
"He had black hair and grey eyes"
"My friend said suddenly..."
"Look at this gorgeous girl!
What a body!"
"I said: Where? Whom are you
talking about?"
"Apparently there was a girl standing
next to the young man..."
"Do you realize that, my Boaz?
I simply had not seen her!"
"She just didn't exist for me!"
"I lowered my head in shame.
My life is contemptible, my Boaz"
"My life is not fair"
"Yesterday is was my birthday"
"I invited some friends for
coffee and cake"
"But I didn't tell them
why I invited them"
"I sat there, in my house, next
to the big plant..."
"And I let myself be carried away by the
pointless, light chit-chat of my friends"
"I thought... how nice it'd be
if you too were there"
"I don't know why...
but this picture..."
"You sitting in my white armchair,
just the two of us in the room"
"Your bright, watery eyes looking
at me intensely"
"This picture makes me very emotional"
(Boaz! Coming to eat?)
"I can hardly stop myself
from touching..."
"...your beautiful face,
your hair, your arms..."
"I think of your girlfriend, who
surely enjoys your arms"
"And I feel a deep pain
from my groins to my throat"
"This afternoon I went for a walk,
trying to put my feelings in order"
"Suddenly, I saw you on a bus"
"I think it was bus line 25"
"You were sitting by the bus window,
oblivious, care-free"
"I'm scared to say this out loud,
but I know..."
"...that I'm deeply in love with you!"
Don't you like the food?
How come? I like it!
- What's going on with you?
- What?
Boaz?
You shouldn't get mad at me...
I'm not your mother
I can't believe that this
is happening to me!
Ori has dumped me.
He simply left me.
He's going to Thailand, alone
He's going scubadiving with just a
rucksack and a bandana on this head
Milk... Croutons for soup...
To run away like that!!
Without a warning...
Do you know how long
they were together?
How should I know that?
How long are we together?
Since the first time that I saw you
at Dr. Kupperschmidt's
Do you want something else?
Leave it. I'll go to do the shopping
I do feel sorry for her, but
it's also her fault... some how
- Her fault?
- She should had realized it
He woke up one morning, bought a
plane ticket and left...
I'm sorry to disturb you.
Have you finished with the book?
- No, I still need it
- I meant Plato's "Symposium"
Ah... that's not mine...
I thought your were majoring
in Classical Studies...
- No, Semitic languages
- Ah... right!
Anyway, I recommend you to
read the "Symposium"
Thanks, I've read it already
Wisdom is one of the most beautiful things
and Eros is in love with beautiful things
Hence, Eros is a philosopher, a lover of
Wisdom (=Symposium, 204b)
I've taken a supplementary course
on Greek philosophy
Good for you!!
(=Plato's "Symposium" is the supreme
philosophical work on male-male Love)
I refute the claim that the
Amorite and Ugaritic languages...
...belong to the Canaan branch
That's my Thesis and...
...I prove that by comparing the two
languages and their history
If you've read my article,
you've seen the references
...and how I support and
prove my arguments.
By the way, I want to quote my
colleague, Prof. Shlomo Izrael...
...whose research is relevant
to this subject...
...and if I may say, he also
supports the same theory
I ask you to please read this article
for next class.
Professor Richlin?
Professor Richlin?
Regarding a reply for my scholarship...
Professor Richlin?
Faculty of Architecture - Exams
Technion - Haifa
Boaz!!
- Yes Commander!
- What are you doing here?
I'm on my way to
my guard post Commander
Give me 20 push ups!
Boaz... I have my eye on you!
Get lost! Go! Go!
Stay a little bit with me
You're late.
Do you want a choco bar?
No thanks. I don't eat this late
She was cute that one, right?
Yeah...
It's OK! I like peeping too some times
Boaz dear!
You know that
you're a handsome man?
How do you mean?
Hasn't anybody ever told you that
you're handsome?
Yeah... I suppose
Your eyes... they're like
a young girl's...
Nir what are you talking about?
We're in the same unit. Can't I tell
you what I feel in my heart?
Of course you can
- Come closer to me!
- Why?
Come closer!
What are you afraid of?
What?
What did I do?
Why are you angry?
Nothing. I'm just tired.
Enjoy your guard duty!
OK, let's see who's present here.
- I want my package!
- I need the notices that we sent you
How am I supposed to know which
is your notice?
- Hold him for a minute
- I need the second notice...
I have no idea what notice...
It's already been two weeks Madame!
- I want to speak to your boss!
- Itzik!!
- Madame please calm down!
- I need my package now!
TUCHMAN Foundation for Languages
- I was here first!!
- Yes...
"My dear Boaz, my handsome man Hi!"
"It's wonderful to be able to toy
with words like "my dear"
"It amazes me how easily the typewriter
writes these two words..."
"...simply together,
one next to the other..."
"But where are you? I'm
sitting in my office right now"
"The door is locked"
"I have in front of me a cake
in a box that..."
"...I bought this morning
on my way here"
"I'll cut a slice for me and
a slice for you"
"Yes... I know that I'm losing my mind"
"Last night I couldn't stand
the pain anymore"
"I wore my sunglasses and
went to that place"
"You can imagine where I was"
"Many lonely and hungry men
were there..."
"...going back and forth like
butterflies amongst the trees"
"I've promised to myself many times
that even in my worst days..."
"..I would never return to
this horrible place"
"I followed eagerly all those men,
amongst the dead trees..."
"...wearing my sunglasses,
despite the darkness..."
"A young man, dressed plainly, started
following me like a dog in heat"
"He went behind the bushes and with his
hand made me a signal to kneel..."
"He pulled his trousers down and
grabbed me firmly from my scruff"
"I simply closed my eyes and
thought of you, my Boaz"
"As if your body was
going in and out of my mouth"
"When he came, he gave me a mean look
and asked for money to go home"
"Gimme money for my taxi fare!"
"Then I fell on the ground
and vomited"
"I was full of disgust and despair"
"I returned home, sank in my bathtub
and I couldn't stop crying..."
"And then I realized that I couldn't
go on like this anymore"
"I can't go on torturing myself
day and night..."
"...without knowing if at least you read
my letters, if you think of me at all?"lestehas ledo
"...or if you want me to
keep on writing to you?
"Listen carefully my Boaz"
"This letter will reach you on Thursday"
"At exactly 10pm on Thursday, I'll be
waiting hidden..."
"and I'll be watching the windows
of your apartment"
Drink your coffee. It'll get cold
"If you want me to continue
writing to you..."
"...turn on and off your kitchen light
three times, one after the other"
"Don't forget!"
"Three times at exactly 10pm!!"
"Then I'll be the happiest man on Earth
and my life will have new meaning"
"If you don't do that..."
"...I'll understand you and
never bother you again...!"
"...and this will be my last letter
to you"
You do realize that you won't get
any more mail in this POBox?
I understand...
Somebody is waiting for you,
in your office
- For me?
- Yeah
How can I help you?
My name is Noa
Noa... surname?
Boaz'es girlfriend!
I found these in his desk drawers
I know that you've written them!
I have no idea what you're talking about
Obviously you didn't notice that
I was on bus 25 a few days ago
Boaz told me: "That's prof. Richlin
my teacher at the University"
I paid attention and I saw you
looking at him
That was the look of a man in love
But I kept quiet until I read
your last letter
Noa sit down!
You asked him to turn on and off
the lights three times tonight
I beg of you to leave Boaz alone!
I have no idea what
he's going through...
I didn't even enrol myself at the
Technion in Haifa for his sake...
I got a reply from Jerusalem...
Congratulations!
Happy?
We'd go out tonight to celebrate
I'd rather stay home
Are you sure?
- That was delicious, right?
- Excellent!
- It really tasted good
- I'll make coffee
- Finally, you got your reply!!
- Yeah...
- Is there any left-overs to nibble?
- Sure, I'll prepare a plate...
No, leave it! I'll do it myself...
Is everything OK?
Look at the lower shelf
of the refrigerator
- What's wrong? Where are going?
- I'm suffocating here. I need fresh air!
Do you want me to come with you?
No! There's no air here!!
Don't you get it? I'm suffocating!!
Sorry!
Are you crazy?
Go fuck yourself, maniac!
I'll use your perfume
My noney...
Call me again...
- What happened?
- Prof. Richlin resigned...
No one knows why. People say
he sounded very ill
Well, shall we leave now?
What is this?
In memory of Amos Gutman 1954-1993
(Israeli film director)