Home (2015) - full transcript

A film by Assaf Lavie Harel
and Oren Cahanovitch

My Intimate Tent

October 2010 - First day of the semester

Mr. Carmel,
just outside of the University of Haifa

Hey.

How's it going, my gallant brother?

Excellent. Listen, I...

Whoa...

I came down from the Student Union Building
and I'm looking for a place for my tent.

Actually,
I think I've found some cool places.

It's a little scary here,
so if I don't call you...



If I don't call you in the next hour,
come look for me.

I'm in an area of...
Right under the Student Union Building.

This is the path.

You can still see the dorms from here.

We could have invited everyone to come
and make a campfire here.

Yeah.

But those spoiled Tel Avivians...
wouldn't move their asses this far.

No, bro, I want to bring them here
when it's all ready.

When they come I don't want them to say:
"That Oren... what a nutcase."

They'll say it anyway.

They'll say, "Wow, he's a genius..."
-They'll say it to spite you.

This is what I've done so far.

This half of the table.

I cut out a triangle and made a leg



for my sink.

There'll be another piece like it
on the other side.

And up here I'll put
the jerry can of water.

This is Tomer, my little brother.

All the trips I've made, WWII, the tour of
communities, are like a weekend in Turkey

compared to what he's done.

You know that Mom doesn't like
you smoking.

Fine.

You know that Mom doesn't like
your tent.

But my tent isn't a health hazard.

This is Shaked.
He's younger than Tomer.

He helped me bring a bunch of junk
I found in the university's backyard.

And I'm sweating like a mule.
-And he's sweating like a mule.

In my effort to make the tent
a little nicer

I took a few planters
from my grandpa,

and he asked me
where I'm going to put them,

so I said "on the porch."

My grandparents think
I'm living with Itamar.

I'd rather feel bad
about lying to them

than tell them the truth
and have them worry all year.

Hi.

What was that?
-I don't know.

I don't either.

How's it going?

Okay.

How was your birthday?

Nice.

Did you tell them
about the tent?

No.

No? -No.

It would sound weird to them.

I see.

I bought a few nice things today
that I need.

Just some stuff for the tent.

I don't want to disturb you.

You aren't, sweetheart.

Listen. The 8th of December
is Hanukah and there's no tour.

Oh.

Do you want to come here?
-I'll see how much the flights cost...

and we'll see. Actually, we have a big exam
on Christianity and I'll miss the exam.

That's no good.
-It's not great but it's okay.

Instead of an exam on Christianity I'll be with
a Christian. That counts for something.

What can I tell you? It's 9:30 p.m.
I'll have some black coffee,

then I'll go over tomorrow's lecture.

Okay.

I... -You do that.

Yes.

It has to be a good lecture.

It's a franchise, it's for Mishan,
they have about 7 nursing homes.

Yes.

What time tomorrow?

Seven.

It's supposed to go like this.

Looks great, all in all.

And here I'll have a string

that goes up to this pulley,
from this pulley to this pulley,

and the string with the water bag
will come down here.

It's 6:30 a.m.

It's my first morning here alone.

Yesterday... I slept here alone
and the truth is, it was kind of scary.

I was sure I'd be more relaxed,
but something...

I was nervous.

I think part of it is the animals.

Some wild boars were wandering around
at around 9:00 at night.

And I want tomorrow to be the last day I run
errands, and from then on I'll live my life.

I have a huge assignment on Begin
that I haven't even started,

I have to study for the tour guide course,
to submit reports...

There are lots of things that I haven't got
around to because I was so busy with the tent.

So tomorrow I hope to start living the tent
and not just dealing with it.

Hello.
My name is Oren.

If you recall, I was here about
three or four weeks ago.

I told you about the journey I made
in the footsteps of WWII.

Today I'm going to tell you about another journey,
a much happier journey I made,

in the footsteps of alternative communities,
I spent a year living with five communities.

In Israel I spent two months
at Kibbutz Neot Smadar,

in France I stayed with the Community of the Ark,
a community of...

It's a village where they live
by Gandhi's principles.

In Alaska I followed a bunch
of hermits,

people who decided to break away from society
and live alone.

And for the next hour I'm going to tell you
about an Amish family I lived with in Bolivia,

in South America. Most of my friends
carried on with their lives,

some got married,
one even got divorced.

Anyway, I decided to take a year off
and see how other people live.

I'm making lots of noise as I walk...

so I don't startle the boar.

What can I tell you? It wasn't a great lecture.

I fumbled my way along.

Every time I give a lecture I get nervous
and it isn't a good kind of nervous...

it's a problem.
I have to work on it.

November 2010 - The new home

"My Intimate Tent"

Yesterday a friend asked me: How could you
move into a tent? You look totally normal.

So here's the trick.
It's very simple.

You put on a t-shirt...

Oops.

A t-shirt...

and jeans...

and that's it.

That's enough,

these two accessories,

and everyone thinks I'm normal.

It's as simple as that.

This is the way to the university.

This is the tricky part.

Making sure the coast is clear...

Mortification!

The Koran, huh?

The battle between the forces of good and evil?
the Copper Scroll? These?!

Guides.

"Minimarket"

Hello.

Good morning, am I speaking with
Oren Cahanovitch? -Yes.

You already called me.
I'm not interested.

Bye.

Okay.

How cool!

Nice tree.

Come inside. -Wow!

Dude, this is crazy!

This is way more than I expected.
Wow.

Wow, Oren...

You totally made a house!

Holy shit!

Wait, so where do you take a shit?

Um, this I... -Do mostly at the university.
-No, either at the university or down here.

So, it's a big mess.

Okay,

but you have, like a whole thing there.
You have a place for your clothing,

you made, like, a house,
not just a bedroom. -Yup.

It's fucking good, dude.
-Thank you.

Okay, we'll start with Gush Etzion?
-Yes.

At what time?
-At eight.

Okay.

I made a meeting
under the oak tree.

The big tree? -Yes.

We'll start there.

December 2010 - The first winter

I'm flying to visit Nora in Germany
in a few days.

And as always, before I fly
I have a sort of...

As the flight approaches
I wonder if it's the real thing,

I have all these doubts.

We have an amazing relationship,
totally crazy,

we've been together for five years.

I hit on her here in Israel, at Yad VaShem
when I was preparing for my journey

in the footsteps of WWII.

And all that's keeping us together now
is love.

She's there, living her life in Germany,
I'm here, living my life in a tent,

and if it isn't...

If we aren't happy with the relationship,
with one Skype conversation

we can break it off and go our separate ways.
We don't share our lives.

Germany

How's it going, babe?

Are you filming me?

Just a little.
-You pig.

Why?

No reason.

Because I love you.

Oh, okay.

Okay, enough.

Okay, I'm stopping.

You aren't stopping.
-You're right.

I've been in a stable relationship for
five years now. I deserve a medal of honor.

Here's an email I just got.

"The university is closed
until further notice."

Live broadcast: Updates on the fire on Mt. Carmel
9:45, here on the News Channel
we're continuing to provide liv

from the large fire on Mt. Carmel.

The Mt. Carmel Disaster: The fire rages
When you approach Mt. Carmel
from the east and drive from Elyakim

toward Dalyat el-Carmel-Ussefiye
most of the area you see...

Hi. -Hi.

I've been worried like crazy all day.

"The Consolidation of Christianity by Paul"
How's it going?
-Okay. I'm in Germany.

That was my second guess.

Yeah.

You're in Germany and you're watching
the fire on the news?

Yes, yes.

My heart skipped a few beats today.

This is Nora's uncle's house.
He lives in a beautiful cabin in the woods.

The first impression I made wasn't good
so I have to work on it.

About a year ago he invited Nora and me
to dinner and...

Let's just say the dinner didn't end well.
I drank a little too much.

You can't see very much.

It looks fine...

"The Mt. Carmel Disaster"
Hello again.
The fourth day of the fire...

I just read that the fire spread
and reached the nature reserve

"Bus trapped in the flames on Mt. Carmel:
40 killed"
which is about 500 meters,
maybe even less, from my tent.

But there isn't much I can do about it.

The smoke is rising. We're very close
to where the fire broke out

on Thursday.
The fire...

For the past four days I've heard
about the disaster only through the news

on the internet.
I was just thinking,

this is our reality TV.
It's the reality show of an entire nation,

you can't choose whether or not
to participate in it.

You can't eliminate anyone.

Everyone is part of it
and they have no choice.

I'm going back to the tent
after two weeks away.

Okay, let's see.

My gate...
looks all right.

Still can't see much,
but all in all it looks just fine.

Much better than I expected.

And finally, the weather report.

Scattered showers tonight and tomorrow,
mainly along the coastal plain.

Almost everyone asks me
if I feel lonely here.

The funny thing is, I lived in a regular apartment
last year and no one asked me that.

My ability to keep myself busy
is incredible.

On the other hand, sometimes I think
I'm too self-centered.

Sometimes,
even when I talk to Nora...

I like to talk about myself
and I don't always ask her

about her life
as much as I should.

I slept really badly last night.

The wind pounded at the tent
and the plastic sheets.

I have to do something about that.
I couldn't sleep at all.

Everything's fine.

A few leaves came in.

The fact is, this whole project is about me not...
I just don't feel like growing up

and it's another year when I can get wet,
and play in the mud and build a fort...

And when I go to the university and see all those
pretty, well-groomed girls in high-heeled shoes

I wonder, are we already that old?
Are we really grown up already?

February 2011 - The new people

I heard a suspicious noise.

Are you sleeping here?

We came here a while ago
and today...

We're going home tomorrow.
-You're leaving?

My husband is disabled.

He can't work. I work.

How nice.

This is our spot.

Where in Haifa do you live?

He lives in Hadar, on Getz St.
It's a bad neighborhood.

That's why we're here.
It's impossible to live there.

Across from the windows
of the building

is the biggest public toilet in Haifa
and the biggest garbage dump in Haifa

and now they're building there.

They're doing... a big machine...
doing the road.

The noise, the smell, the...
It's impossible to live there.

Did you used to live in Haifa?
-Yes.

Do your parents live here? -No, in Carmei Yosef.
It's a village near Latrun, Ramle, Lod.

And you're always here.
You don't go away on weekends?

No, I'm usually here.

It's a nice place.

We're here together.

My grandson came here
from Russia this summer.

Where in Russia? -Near Moscow.
-Near Moscow?

I was in Moscow,
I spent two weeks in Russia.

Good for you.

Now you aren't afraid of anything.

If you were there,

you can do whatever you want here.
-Right.

Everything is easy after Russia.
-Yes, everything is easy. Really.

I think that with most people
it goes like...

Yes, you can do it,
you can change your life.

With me it's the opposite,
I have to tell myself:

No, Oren, don't leave,
stay, be a grownup.

I'm always thinking that if I wanted to,
I could be in Mongolia two days from now.

Mongolia is...

the escape.

And...
And I know I'm capable of that.

If I'm unhappy, boom,
I don't want to play anymore.

But like it or not, I'm not a 7-year-old
anymore and I have to...

grow up and stop that stuff.

On the other hand, I'll say...

and Nora will like hearing this,

that my extremism

has a good side to it too,

and everything around me,
my whole tent, to a certain degree,

is made possible
by my extremism.

Amazing, what he's built here.
-It is.

The way he put flowers all around.

You know, this place is like a fortress,
there's no way to find it.

We found it because we know about it.

It's the most secret place

because nobody can come up here

because of the...
like in wartime.

The wall. It's good.

How did you know I was here?

We didn't know.

We saw the green canvas.

Oh, you saw it?
-We can see the green from our spot.

We knew someone was here
but we didn't know who.

We've known someone was here
since the time you put the green thing up.

Aren't you afraid someone will find
this place and steal something?

What would they take?

You have that...
-Let's say they take everything,

how much is it worth,
2,000 shekels?

How much have I saved? I don't pay rent
or water or property tax

or electricity. -Only gas.
-Only gas.

Try living without gas.

He does everything without gas.

But I'm here every day.
-But it's faster with gas.

Give me your phone number.

As long as we're here...
-Yes, yes.

Where do you turn on your phone?

Where do I charge it?
-Yes.

At the university.
-Oh, when you're there.

I haven't worn a coat in a month.
Today is April 2nd.

And the truth is, it's nice.

I like it when it gets cold,
or really hot...

because when the weather is nice, it's easy,
many people go out when it's nice.

But when it's super-windy
like it was a couple of hours ago

I feel like I'm facing a challenge.

Everyone packs up,
all the picnicking families go home,

and I stay here.
This is my home.

I like it
when things are hard.

When things are hard,
if I withstand a challenge,

if I do something that only
a few people can do, I'm satisfied.

June 2011 - The social consumer's protest

"Danger - Construction - No Entry"

No, it's okay, leave it open.

Can I put my things on this?

Sure, that's what it's there for.

"Coffee? A sandwich? Not at any price!
Consumer embargo"

"Coffee and cake
at the price of a baker!"

"An appetite shouldn't cost a fortune!"

I kind of did you wrong
because I wasn't being totally honest...

I wasn't really living with Itamar.

I was living...
I built a kind of compound

in a tent...
In the forest,

and I was living in a compound
that I built...

You're making this up.
-No, I'm not making this up.

Which forest?
-On Mt. Carmel.

You're bluffing.
-I can show you.

In a few days there'll be an item on it on
Channel 10 and in Masa Acher magazine.

Those are the chairs you took from us.
-Right, that's the fireplace I built.

That's the urinal
I took from the university.

That's the shower.

It's in a forest thicket.
You can only get in if you follow me.

Hold on, start again.

Here, that's the fireplace.

If Nora's parents knew
where you were taking her...

They know, they know.

That you live in a shack in the middle
of a forest? -Yes.

What did they say about that?

That you're both crazy.

I'll show Grandma from the beginning.

Welcome, Amir.

Hi.

Today I saw that they lowered the price
of cottage cheese to 5 shekels.

I made a terrible mistake.
-What? -I bought some. -Why?

Because I was at the store
and I didn't think about it.

I was doing my usual shopping
and when I got home Eran said:

Why did you buy
cottage cheese?

We're no good
at consumer rebellions.

Why? This one's working.
-Yes, but...

If they'd done the same thing
with housing...

That's what we should do.

How is it that the young people haven't arisen...
-That's the point, people will continue buying.

We will never get organized
and stop buying apartments.

Something can be done,
come to think of it.

If more people move into tents,
housing prices will go down. -Right.

I'm ready. -Okay.

The tent city in Tel Aviv that sparked the social
protest movement marks three weeks today.

The people demand social justice!

6 a.m. Oren Cahanovitch,
an MA student at the University of Haifa,

begins another ordinary day.

All this is happening in a tent that he pitched
over a year ago and became his home

in the heart of Carmel Forest.

While the tent has become the symbol
of Israel's social protest,

Oren states that he isn't here to protest
the housing crisis or the cost of living.

Throughout his stay in the forest
Oren documents his life

alongside wild boar
and the howling of jackals...

and the power of nature.

It's started raining heavily

but I'm fine, I'm protected.

When the fire broke out on Mt. Carmel he happened
to be staying with his girlfriend in Germany

and came home to a totally
different neighborhood.

The forest was silent. For months after the fire
the forest was absolutely silent.

I didn't hear any boar until April.

January 2012 - The last winter

The escalation in the south continues.

Two rockets exploded this evening
in Sderot and Sha'ar HaNegev.

No casualties were reported.

12 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza today,
no people or property were harmed.

Clalit Health Services
offers the best insurance.

If anyone passes by,
don't tell them where we're going.

Okay. -All right.

Rest a little, Amnon, you're... -I'm what?
-Panting like crazy.

I'm trying to beat Ilana.

Don't forget we walked through
the rainforests of Panama.

We made it.
-It wasn't far.

It wasn't far at all.
You should've camouflaged it.

Can I step on this?
-Sure. Come in, Grandma.

Amazing.
-He's lived here for a year and a half.

How long? -A year and a half.
-Fantastic.

Really something.

Is that full of water? -That's water,
in case of fire or whatever.

And as you can see
I have a real double bed here.

Did you hire an architect?

A Feng Shui expert?

It's a spa.
You have such good taste,

with the two beautiful mugs
and the two big cups,

you made this place beautiful.

Really beautiful.

Can you use a generator or something
to watch TV?

I watch on my computer.
I have a laptop.

The battery lasts ten hours
and I have internet. -Yes.

No monkeys?

Monkeys...
-Just wild boar.

Do you run into wild boar?
-Yes. -Hanna, do you want some coffee?

Sure, why not.
-Are they dangerous? -Thanks.

Only if you frighten a mother
with piglets.

Oren... -Or when they're wandering around.
-Alex, did you bring water?

No, I left the water in the car.
I have 20 liters here.

I'll take the bottle
when I walk you out.

What do you want, Grandma?
-Water. -Water? -Water.

I'll get you a regular glass.
-No, no.

Why not? -Don't worry,
we won't leave trash behind.

We're taking everything with us.

Don't you prefer a glass?
-No, just pour it in here.

Okay. -We're protecting the environment,
not making a mess. -Right.

What do you think of the place?

I don't know.
Oren is quite a special guy after all...

Oh my...

How does it feel to sleep at home?
Is it hard to get used to?

I'm happy at home
and I'm happy here.

Whoops... -Your girlfriend Nora
stayed here... -For six weeks.

Let's push it forward.
-Okay.

It's better to push it backward,
then forward because...

No, we'll roll into the shelter.

Film while you push, asshole.

It's the new electric model
with the silent engine.

Keep going, push hard.
To the slope...

How's it going?

All good.

Did you get an answer...
from any of the clinics?

The psychological clinic in Bremen
said they'd give me an answer in two weeks or so.

That leaves a week of waiting.

I also sent my resume and the forms
to Munster.

Where Chrissy is?
-And to the institute in Greifswald.

Do you need me?

Not yet. Enjoy sitting there.

I'm sitting on the roof of a tank
and there are people here.

I see you're watching porn.
-Danke shoen.

Porn isn't the only thing we get from Germany.
Just part of it.

Danke shoen. -Two wafers.
-Two wafers, danke shoen.

May 2012 - The new home

There we go...

"Warning to Mr. Erez Cahanovitch.

"Re: Building without a permit.
U. of Haifa region, section..."

Blah-blah-blah, plot 1.

"The inspector's report..."
Blah blah blah...

"It was found that a tent for lodging
purposes was set up in public territory.

"14 days to evacuate.
Sincerely, Nir Levi,

"Asst. Director, Dept. of Construction
Licensing and Inspection."

Shouldn't it say "Dear sir or madam"?

Oy.

You put a lot of time
and effort into this.

But I respect Mr. Nir Levi. After all this land
belongs to Mr. Nir Levi, not to me.

It belongs to all of us.
-True.

It's public property.

If you wrote a petition asking what people
would prefer, to have Nir Levi...

do what he wants with the land,

that is, turn it into
the university's garbage can,

or have you use it, I'm sure plenty of people
would vote for you.

I guess I needed Nir Levi, Asst. Director,
Dept. of Construction, to give me the push.

I came in good spirits
and I'll leave in good spirits...

And that's it.
-You'll start a new life.

I'll start a new life.

How funny, I found this not far
from here. -You're kidding.

I want to keep that.

If you want a vintage phone...
-No thanks.

Why? It's cool.
-Very cool.

You didn't say that like you mean it.
-No, it's cool... We don't have a phone line.

Neither do I.

Really?

"This place has been my home
for the past few months,

"if I'm not here I'm probably at school or back
to my parents house. feel free to enjoy it".

You hiked together in the Small Crater
and the Big Crater

and you lived in an isolated tent
on Mt. Carmel.

You, Oren, lived in the tent...

For how long, a year and a half?

And I didn't even know.

I can tell you as an older and wiser
married woman

that to be in the center of the parabola
isn't so bad, it's actually very good.

You are hereby

sanctified to me

by this ring

to be my husband
and my companion,

to live a life of sharing,

honor and love.

Congratulations!

You are my liberty

I kept you for myself

Like a star in a storm

You are my liberty

You helped me withstand

Every pain and grief

And to walk the paths of my destiny

Until the autumn leaves
fall on me too

And to weave dreams
on the moon's rays

And to walk on and on

You are my liberty

For the sake of your wishes

I violated my oaths

You are my liberty

To keep my covenant with you

I sold my shirt

I suffered much and hurt endlessly

Only so you would trust in me

I abandoned my country
and the best of my friends

And behold, I am only yours

A film by Assaf Lavie Harel
and Oren Cahanovitch
You are my liberty

You ordered me to give up

"My Intimate Tent"
Luxuries and pleasures

You are my liberty

Directed and Edited by
Assaf Lavie Harel
You taught my heart

To rejoice even in loneliness

You taught me to smile

At the sight of an adventure
gone and passed

To lick my wounds in hiding
and to rise

Today
And move on again

See, Yonatan?

Daddy lived here for two years.

What do you say?

Oh...