What Is Synonyms About?
The premise of Synonyms in 250 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the gray, wintry streets of Paris, Yoav, a young Israeli man, arrives with a singular, obsessive mission: to shed his past and forge a completely new identity. The city, often romanticized, becomes a stark landscape for his desperate reinvention. He carries a profound rejection of his origins, viewing his new surroundings not merely as a change of scenery but as a rigorous testing ground for his own self-erasure.
Stripped of his belongings and stability almost immediately, Yoav finds himself reliant on the kindness of strangers. He crosses paths with Émile and Caroline, a couple who pull him from the brink of despair. Their ensuing relationship is layered with unspoken tensions and a strange fascination; while they offer him a glimpse into the cultured ease of Parisian life, Yoav’s raw volatility and precarious situation highlight the vast distance between his reality and the one he yearns to inhabit.
To bridge this gap, Yoav turns to language with a fervor that borders on the manic. Clutching a dictionary as his most prized possession, he mutters synonyms and memorizes definitions, treating vocabulary as a series of keys to unlock his acceptance. Yet, his struggle is not merely linguistic but deeply existential. As he navigates odd jobs and clashes with the very culture he seeks to embrace, the film creates a tense, psychological portrait of a man at war with his own history, forcing the audience to question if a new name and a new language are enough to truly silence the past.
What Happens in Synonyms?
The complete story of Synonyms, from the first scene to the last, in 556 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In Paris, Yoav, a young Israeli man, arrives with the aim of distancing himself from his Israeli identity. Not long after settling into an empty apartment, his belongings are stolen while he’s in the shower, leaving him naked, penniless, and desperate. He knocks on the doors of neighboring flats for help, and two young neighbors, Émile and Caroline, come to his aid. They find him unconscious in the bathtub, dress him, and lend him a little money. Émile, the son of a wealthy industrialist, feels an immediate pull toward him, while Caroline, who studies oboe at the conservatory, becomes a constant presence in his life as he tries to rebuild.
To cope, Yoav dedicates himself to learning French, memorizing words with a tiny dictionary, and quietly murmuring synonyms as he walks the streets. He moves out into a small, run-down one-room flat and navigates precarious living conditions, all the while staying in touch with the couple. He learns that Émile is writing a novel, and Yoav’s past in Israel surfaces only in fits and starts through conversations and chance encounters. In a new job as a security guard at the Israeli embassy, Yoav’s openly anti-Israeli stance and his refusal to speak Hebrew quickly make him unpopular. He clashes with the prevailing mood around him; his colleague Yaron sees Europe as a hotbed of antisemitism, especially France, and he often pushes provocative conversations in public spaces. This fragile dynamic helps drive a rift, and Yoav’s friendship with Yaron does not last.
A turning point arrives when Yoav loses his job after letting a waiting crowd into the embassy’s premises while chanting “Open borders!” and failing to verify identities. When his father arrives in Paris, Yoav refuses to meet him in person and sends Émile to handle the encounter. Yet his father manages to contact him, and Yoav refuses to speak Hebrew, asking him to leave in English. Émile, meanwhile, begins to view his own life as banal in comparison to Yoav’s intense, unsettled existence. Reluctantly, Yoav begins to tell Émile the story of his life, and his relationship with Caroline deepens as he starts an affair with her. At Émile’s urging, he even agrees to marry Caroline to secure a French passport more easily, though this means attending an integration course.
To support himself, Yoav tries modeling, which leads him into the shadowy world of porn. He is unknowingly drawn into a production where he’s asked to perform invasive acts on camera and to speak Hebrew, his mother tongue, which makes him nervous enough to switch back to Hebrew in front of the crew. He later flees a shoot after being forced to wear a soldier’s uniform and after his co-star refuses to have sex with him on camera. He turns to Émile for comfort and tries to retract the stories he has told, but Émile’s patience wears thin as their friendship deepens into strain. A quarrel with Caroline erupts when Yoav criticizes a performance with her orchestra, spiraling into a near-physical altercation with another musician. After months of turmoil, Yoav decides to return to Israel, hoping to leave Paris behind.
When he goes to say goodbye to Émile, he finds the door to the apartment locked, and in a final, tense moment he attempts to force it open, unsure of what the next chapter will hold.
Synonyms Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Arrival in Paris and immediate robbery” to “Return to Israel and the locked goodbye”. 15 events name a place, across 3 locations.
- 1
Arrival in Paris and immediate robbery
Yoav arrives in Paris and moves into an empty apartment. While bathing, his belongings are stolen, leaving him naked and vulnerable. He knocks on surrounding doors for help, and Émile and Caroline enter the flat to find him unconscious in the bathtub; they give him clothes and some money.
When:shortly after moving in Where:Paris
- 2
Neighbors welcome him and form a connection
Émile, the son of a wealthy industrialist, feels immediately drawn to Yoav. Caroline, who studies oboe, welcomes him into their circle. From this moment, Yoav's life in Paris becomes intertwined with the couple.
When:soon after Where:Paris
- 3
Yoav begins learning French
Yoav dedicates himself to learning French, memorizing words and their meanings with a small dictionary. He begins murmuring French synonyms to himself in the street, a sign of both progress and alienation. His language study helps him navigate Paris while keeping parts of his past at bay.
When:early in Paris Where:Paris
- 4
Moves to a run-down flat and stays in touch
Yoav moves out and rents a small, run-down one-room flat, living precariously. He remains in contact with Émile and Caroline, and learns that Émile is writing a novel. The arrangement roots him more deeply in their shared world.
When:some time after arrival Where:Paris
- 5
Security job and antisemitism tensions
Yoav takes a job as a security guard at the Israeli embassy in Paris, but his anti-Israeli stance and refusal to speak Hebrew make him unpopular. His colleague Yaron embodies a defensively antisemitic view of Europe and often provokes reactions from passersby. The budding friendship with Yaron does not last long.
When:during his time there Where:Israeli embassy, Paris
- 6
Job loss after a provocative incident
He loses the job when he lets a waiting crowd into the embassy premises without checking identities while shouting 'Open borders!'. The moment underscores his estrangement from the role and from those around him. The fallout strains his ties to the embassy and his own beliefs.
When:soon after starting Where:Israeli embassy, Paris
- 7
Father arrives; Yoav refuses to meet him
Yoav's father arrives in Paris, but Yoav refuses to meet him directly, sending Émile in his place. The visit exposes the distance between generations and the immigrant’s struggle with homeland ties.
When:later in the story Where:Paris
- 8
Confrontation with father via English
The father manages to contact Yoav, who refuses to speak to him in Hebrew and asks him to leave, speaking in English instead. The exchange highlights Yoav’s ongoing rejection of his native tongue and homeland.
When:after arrival Where:Paris
- 9
Yoav recounts his life to Émile
Yoav gives the story of his life to Émile for the first time, offering a window into his past in Israel and his reasons for coming to Paris. Émile agrees to listen, seeing potential material for a novel.
When:after father arrival Where:Paris
- 10
Affair and marriage for a passport
Yoav begins an affair with Caroline and, at Émile's urging, marries her to obtain a French passport. To complete the integration, he must attend an integration course. The arrangement exposes the pragmatism guiding his relationships in the city.
When:mid-period Where:Paris
Show the other 5 events of Synonyms Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Modeling work leads to porn industry contact
To earn money, Yoav advertises as a model and soon comes into contact with a pornography producer. He is pressured to perform explicit acts and to speak Hebrew on camera, which unsettles him. He realizes his past and language become liabilities on set.
When:some time after marriage Where:Paris
- 12
Escape from a porn shoot
He flees a later porn shoot with a Lebanese woman when forced to wear a soldier's uniform, and the co-star refuses to have sex with him on camera. The experience deepens his sense of alienation and disconnection from the life he is trying to construct in Paris.
When:later Where:on set in Paris
- 13
Request to retract stories
Yoav runs to see Émile and asks him to retract his stories; Émile agrees to retract them, revealing the strain between truth and friendship. The moment marks a turning point in their already fragile bond.
When:shortly after the porn incident Where:Paris
- 14
Growing rift with Émile and Caroline
Yoav senses that Émile is growing tired of their friendship, and tensions mount with Caroline after a quarrel over a performance with her orchestra. The dynamic underscores the fragility of his social ties in Paris.
When:months later Where:Paris
- 15
Return to Israel and the locked goodbye
After several months, Yoav decides to leave Paris and return to Israel. When he tries to say goodbye to Émile, he finds the door to his apartment locked and must force it open, signaling a painful end to his Paris chapter.
When:end of the story Where:Paris
Who Are the Main Characters in Synonyms?
5 characters, among them Yoav (Tom Mercier), Caroline (Louise Chevillotte) and Émile (Quentin Dolmaire): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Yoav (Tom Mercier)
Played by Tom Mercier
A young Israeli man who travels to Paris to distance himself from his homeland. He throws himself into learning French, living in precarious conditions, and navigating new social codes. His quest for belonging is marked by tension between memory of Israel and a desire to rebuild himself in a foreign city.
- 🌍 Identity
- 🗣️ Language
- 🌐 Migration
-
Caroline (Louise Chevillotte)
Played by Louise Chevillotte
Émile’s neighbor and Caroline studies oboe at the conservatory. She offers Yoav a place to stay and becomes his lover, driven by curiosity and a sense of empathy. Her choices pull her into a complex web of friendship, romance, and the politics of immigration.
- 🎶 Music
- 💑 Romance
- 🕊️ Trust
-
Émile (Quentin Dolmaire)
Played by Quentin Dolmaire
Émile is the son of a wealthy industrialist and a writer who invites Yoav into his life. He initially admires Yoav but later views his own life as banal by comparison. He agrees to tell Yoav’s story, blurring the lines between fiction and truth.
- 🎨 Creativity
- 🗺️ Dialogue
- 🧭 Identity
- Y(
Yaron (Uria Hayik)
Played by Uria Hayik
Yoav’s coworker who frames Europe as a hotspot of antisemitism and challenges him about his Jewish heritage. The two form a tense, albeit short-lived, friendship, culminating in a clash over security and loyalty.
- 🗺️ Urban life
- 🧭 Identity
- ⚖️ Tension
- YF
Yoav's Father (Yehuda Almagor)
Played by Yehuda Almagor
Yoav’s father arrives in Paris, attempting to reconnect, but Yoav refuses to meet him and communicates in English. The father eventually finds a way to contact his son, reinforcing the distance between generations and national identities.
- 👨👦 Family
- 🌍 Diaspora
- 🕰️ Generations
Where and When Is Synonyms Set?
Synonyms is set in Paris and Israel (Contemporary (late 2010s)). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Contemporary (late 2010s)
The story unfolds in the present era, primarily in Paris. Language learning, job changes, and shifting loyalties anchor the timeline in a modern urban migration experience. The timeframe emphasizes a current moment of identity negotiation and cultural exchange.
Where
Paris, Israel
Paris is the primary setting, with quiet, run-down apartments and busy streets that frame Yoav's attempt to reinvent himself. The Israeli embassy and family echoes anchor his past in a foreign present, highlighting cultural clash and assimilation. The city’s everyday spaces—apartments, metro, conservatories—act as a pressure cooker for belonging and alienation.
- 🏙️ Parisian cityscape
- 🧭 Identity and migration
- 🤝 Multicultural tension
What Are the Themes of Synonyms?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Language and Belonging.
-
01
Identity
Yoav arrives in Paris determined to shed his Israeli identity, yet his past continually surfaces. He learns French and memorizes synonyms, hoping language will redefine who he is. The film tracks how personal identity is shaped by memory, perception, and the gaze of others.
-
02
Language
Language is a tool of belonging and exclusion. Yoav's dictionary, whispered synonyms, and Hebrew prompts reveal how language can enforce boundaries or bridge them. Forcing moments—like a pressured Hebrew line in a porn shoot—pull him to confront his roots. His struggle to express himself drives much of the emotional arc.
-
03
Belonging
Yoav's relationships with Émile and Caroline reveal the fragility of desire and trust in a new city. The plan to marry for a passport exposes the transactional nature of belonging. Conflicts over art, loyalty, and identity push Yoav toward a possible return to Israel, highlighting the price of becoming someone else.
What Kind of Film Is Synonyms?
Melancholic in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bleak
A melancholic and anxious portrait of a man desperately trying to erase his past, navigating alienation and exploitation in Paris, leading to a lonely and emotionally draining journey of failed reinvention.
- alienated
- melancholic
- anxious
- desperate
- lonely
- introspective
- cultural identity
- assimilation
- exile
- self-reinvention
Content notes: sexual exploitation, nudity, psychological distress, self-harm (implied through destructive behavior).
Quiz
How well do you remember Synonyms? Test yourself on the story.
