Snails in the Rain

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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 f*** 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 f*** 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

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