K. 364

 In the train, the violinists play, and also discuss their background and the difficult relationship their parents have with their birthplace. This is Roi Shiloah’s first visit to Poland. His mother was born there in 1939. Escaping the Holocaust, she fled through woods similar to those the men pass in the train. The idea of transmission has a metaphor in the way the musician talks about his instrument, which used to be owned by a tango musician imprisoned for murder. The concept of separation is reflected in the evocation of the former synagogue in the city of Poznań, which has been turned into a swimming pool. The simultaneous projection onto two screens echoes the duality of the film – the two men, Europe and Israel, past and present. The shots complement each other and immerse the viewer in sound and light, culminating in a final part dedicated to the performance of the symphony. Gordon’s use of close-up shots highlights the two men’s emotions and their physical tension. In the concluding section, the beauty of the music transcends their sentiments and reflections on the past.