A philosophical thriller with political undertones about two inmates in a mental institution. Alfred (Mohammad Bakri) spent years as a patient in a mental institution, surrounded by his past. His routine is interrupted when ‘Aristotle’ (Ziad Bakri), a young new patient with a murky history, is assigned to share his room. Was it a conscious decision made by his therapist (Eldad Prives), or perhaps a symptom of Alfred’s own illness that brings him together with Aristotle? Alfred’s fears and his reluctance to share his room offer insights into his own past, as well as the past of his young protégé, which somehow seems to echo his own. As they learn about each other and themselves, it becomes increasingly difficult to discern whether these are two distinct individuals brought together by circumstances, or whether Aristotle is simply a ghost of Alfred’s turbid past, come to life as part of his treatment. Rani Bleier and Avia Ben David weave a brilliantly deceptive tale of the protagonists’ need for others to achieve self-realization. As the conflict between their need for the other and overwhelming isolation reaches a crescendo, they are faced with the option of choosing sanity. Or, perhaps, they are simply coming to terms with their madness.
