While traveling to the Berlin International Film Festival to screen his previous film Paper Dolls, Israeli documentary filmmaker Tomer Heymann returns to Germany—a country his grandfather fled seventy years ago to establish a new life in Palestine. It is during this trip that he meets Andreas, a German dancer, sparking a connection that evolves from a 48-hour whirlwind into a much more significant bond. Intertwined with this relationship, the documentary also explores the concurrent events occurring in the life of Tomer's mother.
The documentary centers on two primary dynamics: the connection between Tomer and his mother, Noa, and the developing relationship between Tomer and Andreas. Because her children have departed the country she and her family worked so hard to build, Noa is left struggling with their absence; since his parents split, Tomer remains the only child still present, leading her to exert a grip on his life that likely exceeds his comfort level. Meanwhile, Andreas's eventual relocation to Tel Aviv involves more than just entering a new romance; he must navigate the intricate daily realities of life in Israel while also managing his personal history as a German citizen.
I am still unsure of what this documentary was attempting to achieve, as the entire production feels incredibly self-indulgent. Rather than letting the audience in, Tomer spends most of the film hiding behind a handheld camera, offering nothing particularly interesting to chew on. The result is a lopsided glimpse into his life that lacks almost any depth. Even the segments touching on Noa's situation—such as the kids returning when she ends up in hospital—feel thin. The actual love story between Tomer and Andreas, including how it grew, why it worked, and what it meant, is barely touched. There is a glaring hole in the narrative where you should find out how their families or the people around them feel about their relationship or their sexuality. Nothing really happens throughout the entire runtime; you keep watching only because you assume something worth watching will eventually show up, but it never does. Andreas spends his screen time acting as Tomer's biggest fan, reciting poetry and tossing out philosophical ramblings, and that is all there is to it. From start to finish, it is an absolute waste of time. (1/10)
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