Synonyms (film)

Synonyms (Synonymes) is a 2019 international co-produced drama film directed by Nadav Lapid, from a screenplay by Lapid and Haim Lapid. It stars Tom Mercier, Quentin Dolmaire and Louise Chevillotte. It had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on 13 February 2019, where it won the Golden Bear, and the FIPRESCI Award (Competition). It was released in Israel on 28 February 2019, in France on 27 March 2019, by SBS Distribution and in Germany on 5 September 2019, by Grand Film. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Plot
A young Israeli man absconds to Paris to flee his nationality.

Cast

 * Tom Mercier as Yoav
 * Quentin Dolmaire as Emile
 * Louise Chevillotte as Caroline
 * Uria Hayik as Yaron
 * Olivier Loustau as Michel
 * Léa Drucker as French Teacher

Release
The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on 13 February 2019. The film was released in Israel on 28 February 2019. It was released in France on 27 March 2019, by SBS Distribution. In May 2019, Kino Lorber acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film. It was released in Germany on 5 September 2019, by Grand Film.

The film also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2019. and the New York Film Festival on 29 September 2019. It was released in the United States on 25 October 2019.

Critical reception
Synonyms received positive reviews from film critics. It holds approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on  reviews, with an average of. The site's critical consensus reads, "Synonyms latches onto third-rail issues with thrilling audacity -- and taps into an energy that proves as discomfiting as it is infectious." On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 84 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".