Ezrah Mudag (2022) - full transcript

I'll get back to you, I'm meeting friends.
-Do you have the code?

Just a second.

Call them if not.

Hang on, I'm looking.

Ruti, can't we just call?
It would be a lot faster.

Hang on, he sent it to me...
-Excuse me.

I love what you've done with the place.

Totally.

Thanks.

Yeah, we felt we wanted
something with lots of space.

It would have cost twice
as much in central Tel Aviv.



It's only a matter of time
before this neighbourhood changes.

Oh no, it's happening. It's happening.

What do you think about the tree?

That one?

Nice.
-I planted it.

Very nice.

Okay.

You remember how to do it.

So, how was San Francisco?
-Listen, you have to go.

You'll love it.
-Totally.

Not... not because you're gay,
just because the city's great.

Roy really did love it.
-How about you, how was Sinai?

I've never been to Sinai.

Sinai’s gorgeous.
-We're having a baby.



Wow!

I'm shocked.

That's great!
-We're not pregnant yet. But...

Soon, probably.
-Listen, good for you.

Really.

So, give me the details,
how are you going to do it?

We've decided to use a surrogate.
-We're doing it by ourselves.

Without adding more factors to the equation.
-Right.

How does that work?

You don't have to tell us if you don't want to.

Wait, should I not be asking?

No, it's fine.
-There's a small agency we're working with.

Great.
-Right.

It's small, not like one of these powerhouses...
-No, it's very intimate,

the agency picks the surrogate mother.
-Right.

You don't pick yourselves?

We pick the egg.
-How do you know who she is?

The egg or the surrogate?

The surrogate.
-Oh, we don't.

But the agency has a cadre of women
it works with, mostly from Asia.

And you don't get to meet her beforehand?

We're meeting her after the delivery?
-After.

Yes, it's done very humanely.
-Very humane and very considerate.

They don't even let her see the baby.

They take it, so they don't form
any physical or biological bonds.

From the moment she gives birth, the baby's ours.

Really amazing of you.
Wow.

So there might be a baby here in a few months.
-Hey!

And hey, are you going to raise them
in this neighbourhood?

Yes. -I think it's important that they grow up
in an environment that's multicultural.

Diverse.
-Pluralistic.

Plus, the neighbourhood's really changing.

Well, you'll be an amazing dad.

The sperm's going to be mine, though.

So why do you think she's doing it?

Who?
-The mother.

The surrogate.
-The surrogate.

We'd like to think she wants to help
people like us have children.

Honey, not everyone has the privilege
of getting pregnant naturally.

Ben and Erez don't have the
privilege of getting pregnant.

Glad to hear my womb is a privilege now.

In this context.

I wish I could get pregnant.

(Speaking in Tigrinya)

Hey.

Could you please not lean on the tree?

The tree?

Could you not lean on the tree?
-Oh, sorry man.

It's just, you'll break it.

Sorry.
-It's fine.

Thanks.

They broke the tree?

No, they didn't, they didn't break it.

It's just, one's standing next to the tree and his
buddy's standing next to him and they're talking,

but one of them is just leaning on it,
it's a thin tree, it's new, the city

just planted it, so it would be
a shame if they broke it.

So they're damaging public property.
-That's what I said.

Could you send someone
to tell them stop? I can't...

Could you give me your contact information?
-Is it alright if I don't? It's not necessary.

These penguins are all heading
to the open waters to the right.

But one of them caught our eye.

He would neither go to the breeding grounds
at the edge of the ice, nor return to the colony.

Let me see your hands!

Running from the police?

Running from the police? You son of a bitch!

Who do you think you are?

Who do you think you are,
running from police? You piece of shit!

Who do you think you are?

You son of a bitch!

50, this is 51, come in.
-51, this is 50, over.

50, we have the detainee.
Y.L. Peretz 44.

Send a car please.
-Car headed your way.

What happened?
-It's fine, have a good night.

Did he do anything?
-Have a good night, I said.

Good evening, sir. Thank you.

Motherfucker, these pieces of shit
are ruining the neighbourhood.

Loser.

50, what about that car?

What are you looking at?

No.

She's got nice teeth.
-They stick out a bit.

Bad teeth is a huge expense.
-Right.

Wow. Perfect.
-Yeah, she's gorgeous.

Uh...

No.

No.

Her kid looks amazing.

Ben?

Ben?

You went to Sinai recently, right?
-Yeah.

You weren't scared?

No.

I'm thinking of going too.

You've never been?
-No.

It's the most beautiful, relaxing place ever.

The blue of the ocean, the sky.

The first day was a bit stressful,
but past that point...

It’s the place to be.

Hello.
-Hello, Ben?

Yes.
-This is Guy from municipal services.

I see you've lodged a complaint regarding
damage to public property,

and I wanted to ask how satisfied you were
with the handling of the issue.

A complaint about two migrant workers
vandalising a tree on Y.L. Peretz Street.

What? Wait, what?

How would you rate our handling
of the issue, on a scale of one to ten?

I can't talk right now. This isn't a good time.

I understand, it won't take long.

Just tell me how satisfied you were
with our handling of the issue,

one meaning we handled it poorly,
and ten meaning we handled it very well.

We've been thinking of investing
in your neighbourhood too.

Oh?
-Not a place for us to live, just an investment.

You've inspired us.
-Oh yeah?

We have a friend who works for the city council,

she says there are incredible plans for the area,

that it's all going to change five years from now.

Hey.

Hey.

How's it going?

There's shit in the entrance,
on the stairwell. -What?

Dog or human?

Human.

Fuck. Are you sure.
-Yes. What are you making?

Curry.
-Perfect.

I'm not cleaning it up.

Fine, then I will. Where's the sand?
-No, you will not! You will not!

We're not cleaning it up, that's not my job.

Cleaning up shit is not my job.

Okay.

How's it going, Ben-Ben?

Good god.

Come on, let me help you.

How does a person get through two doors
with keypad locks and shit in the stairwell?

We have to change the code.

You remember we're thinking of leaving, right?

You mentioned that.

Jenny's going to go first, we found a place,

and I'll join her in about a month.

Oh.

She wants to work in her first language, somewhere
familiar, plus her dad's not feeling well,

and I can do my writing anywhere.

Wow...

I'm worn out. I'm just worn out.

The homeless, the junkies,
the refugees. It breaks my heart.

Someone died in there.

Come to Berlin too. We'll be
on the co-op board together.

Who's there?
-Sorry.

I just had the worst dream.

What was it?

I had a dream we were...

at a hospital in the Philippines,

they give us a baby.

We get home,

I look at her face,

and I realise it's the homeless woman
that used to sleep in the stairwell.

Remember her?

Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Stunning.

You're gorgeous. Hang on, one more.

You're stunning, really. Thank you.

Boys, how about you?

Okay, I'm taking the picture.

But hold up your sign for the camera.

Higher, higher.

Honey, get out of the way.

"Equality!"

Now kiss!

Gorgeous. Amazing, great job.

Welcome to Pride!

Next stop, Heinrich Heine, Ben Zvi Road.

Morning.
-Hi, good morning.

Coffee?

Yes, please.

I'll have some with you.

I only have almond milk left.

I like almond milk.

Would you like us to move to the mats?

No. Here's fine.

How's the surrogacy situation going?

How it's going...

It's going.

We need to choose an egg now.

Our parents are helping out
with the money, so that's...

reassuring.

Last time, when we were sitting on the mats,

you mentioned having some dilemmas.

There's some worry, it's only natural.

We had a lot of opportunities
to think it over, given the situation.

It's not like one of us got pregnant,

so it's not exactly spontaneous.

Maybe it's not such a good idea,
you know. I don't know.

What isn't a good idea?

For instance, a few days ago

I fell asleep on the couch in the
living room, we had some friends over,

I fell asleep on the couch,
I woke up in the middle of the night,

I was headed to the bedroom, and
suddenly I heard a noise from outside, a...

Weird noise.

Something compelled me to see what it was,

and I went to the window,
and I saw an African man running,

and two policemen chasing him.

Now, the street was completely empty.

They caught him,

twisted his arm behind his back,
got him down on the pavement,

kicked the shit out of him.

What did you do?

What?

When you saw that, what did you do?

I went downstairs to try and stop them,

but they were so violent.

I tried, but they were just
like animals, I just felt...

completely paralysed.

Let's set the refugee aside for a moment.

Where in your body did you have that sensation?

In my stomach.

I want us to try something.

I want us to try and pretend
this cushion is the refugee.

Right? I want you to try and stop me. Okay?

We're reenacting the incident, try and stop me.

Stop me.

Next stop: New Central Bus Station.

What's for dinner?

Nothing.

You didn't get anything?

Turn right.

You have arrived.

Hi.
-Hi, how are you?

How's it going?
-Some wild weather we're having, huh?

Right.

Park here by the gate.

Here?
-Yes.

There you go.
-That okay?

Yes, that's great.

Alright.

Hello, welcome.

How are you?

Hi, how are you?
-Hey.

Next time you're here, my office is going to be
down here, at the housing unit in the basement.

Let's go in.

Sunny, 31 years old from Manila.
She's strong, healthy.

She's got three children of her own,
this will be her second surrogacy.

All told she's had four healthy deliveries,

and during the last one, the baby
was healthy and his weight was normal.

She looks healthy.
-That's true.

It's important to us that the baby
have a healthy pregnancy environment.

No, Sunny doesn't drink or smoke,

she lives in a suburb where
there are no high levels of pollution.

We can't dictate a specific diet,
but she's familiar with the process,

Her previous delivery was
handled exceptionally well.

What's great about this process is that it's an
incredible opportunity for both parties.

Your lives are going to change,
you're going to be parents,

and Sunny's life is going to change as well,

And she earns a something of
a small fortune in her terms.

Have you chosen an egg?

No. Not yet, but...

we have some candidates in mind.
-Okay.

Well, I suggest you do it soon,
we don't want to let that hold us up.

Of course. Hey, about the sperm, is there
any way to not do it at a hospital or clinic?

We were hoping to do it somewhere
more suitable to our needs.

Why, is the clinic too far away?

No, it's not about distance.
We just wanted a place that was...

more special, less cold.

Listen, you're going to be incredible parents.

I have intuition about that sort of thing.

But you can't do it at home,
the sperm has to be frozen immediately.

But we can explore other options.

You have a lovely home.
-Thank you.

We both work hard...

Where's the restroom?

Right there.

Police.
-Hello.

I'd like to inquire about...

an arrest that took place outside my building.
-Okay.

The other day I saw some police officers

chasing a man, who was probably African, I think.
-Okay.

They beat the crap out of him.
-Do you have any idea what he did?

What difference does that make?
It's... police brutality.

What's your involvement in the incident?

I care, I...

I care.

Can I ask how he's doing?

Do you know the detainee?

No.

No, I've got nothing to do with him.
I'm a concerned citizen.

May I ask how the gentleman is doing?

Please hold.

How cute is Maya?

At the roundabout, take the second exit.

What... where are you?

Did you have sex with somebody?

No.

Okay.

I'm sorry, I...

I just can't stop thinking about...

something Rotem told me.

What is it?

We were having a cigarette, and he
told me that the other day the police

caught an African refugee.

Right outside here, on the street.
-No kidding.

They kicked the shit out of him.

That's what he said.

He said they beat him until he passed out,

once they'd already incapacitated him.
-Incapacitated...

What does that mean?

They grabbed his arm and
slammed him down on the sidewalk.

Even if he'd done something,
if he was a thief, I don't know,

once they incapacitated him, who does that...
-That's what I said.

Past a certain point, regardless of what he did,
that's just wrong.

They kicked him until he started bleeding
and passed out, I think he died.

How do you know he died?

I heard a woman crying.

You heard a woman crying so you think he died?

No, Rotem told me.

They did an amazing job with the place.

People still shoot up here at night, you know.

Everything's in bloom. It's lovely.

Have you sold the apartment?

We got a good offer.

We don't want to draw it out.

How good?

Good.

How good?
-We got a good offer.

We had a good realtor.

You want to talk to him?

No...

He's a great realtor.
-No.

Kobi, Hi. Yeah, it's Rotem.

I'm here with my neighbour,
he's got a gorgeous apartment.

Here, talk to him.

No...
-Talk to him.

Kobi?
-Kobi.

Kobi?
-Nice to meet you.

Hey, likewise, how are you?

Hey.
-Hey.

Nice place.

Thanks.
-Really special.

What is it, 80 square meters?
-90, give or take.

Same as Rotem's.

What's the municipal tax size?

82.

Why are you selling, if I might ask?

Why are you selling?
-What difference does it make?

We'll have an open house, there'll be
lots of people here, they're going to ask.

Maybe you're selling because there's something
wrong with the apartment. -I need the money.

Well, don't say that,
they'll smell your desperation.

Oh.
-So...

Listen, I have someone looking
for something this size in this area,

you mind if I put her on?

I know we're moving fast, but she means business.

Okay.

Bonjour, Tami.

Bonjour, Kobi.

I'm at the place I was telling you about,

I think it might be
just the thing you're looking for.

Alright.
-You want a tour?

Sure.

This is the living room.

Very nice.

It's big.

This is the washroom.

Well, I like the apartment.

It's a good investment,
a four percent annual return.

What are the neighbours like?

Are there lots of Arabs? Black people?

A lot of migrant workers?

The whole area's going to change
in a year or two.

There are some immigrants, Filipino, Eritrean,

but there are several Israelis as well.

Oh, a real Tower of Babylon.

Do they cause any trouble?

In a year or two this whole area
is going to be incredible.

Where are you from?

Paris.

Then why would you want to move here?

"Here" is my home.

Israel is my home.

Paris isn't what it used to be.

It turned into an Al-Qaeda outpost,
there's so much antisemitism.

You have to be careful.

You can't walk around wearing a yarmulke.

You need to be constantly vigilant.

Darkie!

How's everything going, Darkie?
-Okay.

Yeah?

Has your wife had her operation?

Yeah, she's fine now.

Doing well?
-Doing well.

Great, I haven't seen you in a while,
Blackie, I was getting worried.

Excuse me!

Could you not call him that?

Don't call him that.

What's your name?
-It's fine.

What's your name?
-Kobi.

Kobi.
-Yes.

Kobi.

Idiot.
- Motherfucker.

Hey.

Stop!

Stop, I want to have a word with you.

Hello.
-Hi.

Could you check if I can suspend my membership?

Let's step outside, I'd like
to have a word with you.

Let's step outside, I just want to talk.

Man, I'm not going outside with you.
-Excuse me, not here.

Tell him to go outside, I want to talk to him.

Did you call my mother a whore?

Let's go outside!
-Can you help me out here?

Excuse me, I'm calling the police.
-Call them.

Let's go outside, I'm gonna kick your ass.
I'm gonna fuck you all the way up.

You think my mother's a whore?
-I'm calling the police.

Please call them.
-Say you're sorry.

I said I was sorry.

I said it.
-No you didn't.

I'm sorry.

Say: "I'm sorry I called your mother a whore."

I'm sorry I called your mother a whore.

Okay? I'm sorry I called your mother a whore.

I don't usually say things like that,
I don't know what came over me.

I apologise.

I'm genuinely sorry, man.

Hello.
-Hello.

My condolences.

No. Sit here, here.
-No no, I... it's fine.

No, sit here.

Thank you.

Have some water.
-Thank you.

Where are you from?

I'm from the building.

You live in the building?
-The apartment below you.

You're the owner?
-I'm head of the building committee.

Were you born in Israel?

Yes.

I came from Eritrea.

I was born in Eritrea.

I went from Eritrea to Sudan, from Sudan to Sinai,

and then to Israel.

You know Sinai?

Yeah.

What's your name?
-Ben.

I'm Yashulu.
-Hi.

Nice to meet you.

And he can't catch it by himself.

So the pair now work together.

Let's do something.

Alright, what do you feel like?
-I don't know.

We could go see a movie, go out for a drink.

You want to take a walk?

We're going to have the roof resealed,
we'll get a ten-year warranty.

We replaced the flooring
and the windows two years ago.

Parquet floors, new plumbing,

three months ago everyone
in the building joined together

and had all the plumbing replaced.

We had to go all out, because there
had been some problems here, it was bad,

the winters were awful.

Shouldn't you be at work?

Hello.
-This is Raz, my...

Lovely place you have here.

How many balconies have you enclosed?

It was two, right?
-Hey, man.

You're the boyfriend? Nice to meet you, I'm Kobi.

Could you have everyone clear out of here, please?

Give me a second, okay?

We'll be out of your hair in a minute.

Have you replaced the windows?
Do they have double glazing?

She wants to know if the windows
have double insulation. -Yes.

In this area you can't do without
double glazing, but forget that,

the whole apartment is new.

The floor, the walls,
all of the electrical is new,

they even replaced the plumbing. Did you tell her?

They replaced the plumbing.

This part of town, which, five years
from now it's going to be, you know...

It's... a safe investment, let's say.

The apartment's lovely.

Why do you think you're here, Raz?

We're here, Reuven,
because he tried to sell our apartment

behind my back.

He doesn't really tell me anything.

I do.
-No you don't.

Has he told you we're not having sex?

We don't really communicate.

What do you think?

I don't think there's a lack of attraction.

I don't think we're not communicating
properly, we talk all the time.

I just think we shouldn't live there.

And we certainly shouldn't raise children there.

We'll never find a place like that
in a better neighbourhood

on our budget.
-It's not a good environment to raise a child.

Why?

Because it's a bad place.

We...

because it's a bad place, and I hate it.

Why are you saying this?
-I hate this place,

I don't want my kids to have a father like this.
-Like what?

A father who hates this place.

Hates?
-I hate...

Come on! I told you.

This place gets me into situations
I'm not supposed to get involved in!

Nothing like this ever happened
in seven years on Frishman Street.

That guy that the cops
beat up outside our building,

I called the cops on him.

He was leaning on a tree
I planted outside, he almost broke it.

I went downstairs, I asked him,
I asked him nicely.

"Please, don't lean on my tree,
you'll break my tree."

But they don't understand!

They don't know about cities.

They don't know about public spaces.

They grew up in villages.

Maybe I do hate them.

I think that's true, it feels good,
my body feels good, saying that.

We don't even share the same values.

There are certain values we have,

whereas they come from very patriarchal societies.

They go through terrible trauma,

and yet we expect them
to coexist in the same space with us.

It's not their fault, it's not their fault
they're poor and downtrodden,

it's not their fault they've
endured terrible things.

It's not even their fault
that I hate them, and yet!

How can you say that?

I can't believe this.
Do you realise what you're saying?

We don't say things like that.
-Wait.

I...

I'd like to make a suggestion, okay?

You planted the tree
out on the street because you care,

you want the area around
your home to be pleasant.

When you saw those young men
leaning against the tree,

you went down to talk to them, and asked them

to not lean against the tree.

You only wanted the area to be pleasant,

you didn't want them to break the tree.

But what happened then?

Once you called municipal services
things got out of hand, right?

You never imagined the situation
would turn so violent, right?

You treated them like human beings,
like equals, like your neighbours.

Just a second.

Sorry.
-So?

What?

I think I'm pregnant.

Okay...

It's been one day.

We can sense these things.

And I catch pregnant in no time too.

Roy and I had four abortions.

But I can't be a mother right now.

Of course you can't be a mother right now.

It's something you have to think about.

I just thought it would be nice,
since you're having one soon.

We could raise our kids together.

They'll go to kindergarten together...

We'll take family vacations.

Maybe I should just go with it.

I think it's something
you have to be ready for.

Why, do you feel ready?
-Yes. I do.

Okay.

Hey.

Hello, thank you for contacting
the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality

through the 106 municipal services hotline.

To report a hazard...

Hi.

There's a tree outside my window
that the city just planted recently,

and there are two people leaning on it.

They might break it, could you send someone over?

(Speaking in Tigrinya)

Hey fellas, what are you doing?

Huh?
-We're not doing anything, man.

We've gotten complaints from people
from this street that you're causing trouble.

What trouble?
-There's no trouble, man.

Can I get your names?

What for? We're not doing anything.

Do you realise this is damage to
public property? You're breaking the tree.

I'm sorry.

You're breaking this tree,
you're damaging public property.

I understand.
-Don't lean on it, okay?

If I get another complaint,
I'll give you a ticket, so watch it.

You don't want that.
-You got it.

Hey!

What the hell is going on here?
-The situation's under control,

we got a complaint about property damage.
-What damage?

Sir...
-What damage? They're just standing here.

Sir, stay out of this.
-They haven't done anything!

Let me finish up here and close the case.
-I want you to tell me why you're harassing them.

Sir, don't come near me, I'm warning you.
-Got nothing better to do than to harass them?

I'm a police officer.
-You think you scare me?

Do you, you jackbooted thug?
-Calm down.

You think you scare me?

I need backup...
-Sure, get backup. It's fine.

A man's acting up...
-What are you gonna do about it? Huh?

Watch it, you!

I have you on camera!

I have you on camera!

I have you on camera, you fucking fascist!

I have you on camera. We're going to
publicly shame you, you son of a bitch!

I have it all on camera, you asshole!

Fucking faggot.

Run, you coward!

Stay out of it, that's just my crazy neighbour.

I got it all on camera.