THE END OF LOVE/ A COUER BATTANT

France, Israel, 2019, 90 minutes, Colour.
Judith Chemlka, Arieh Worthalter, Noemie Lvovsky, Vassili Schneider, Gil Weiss, Joy Rieger.
Directed by Keren Ben Rafael.

The End of Love is a brief portrait of a couple who are separated, one living in Paris, the other in Tel Aviv. They communicate by Skype, the whole film focusing on the two computers and their screens, the couple communicating via Skype.

She works with an architectural firm in Paris. He is a war correspondent-photographer who cannot get work or exhibition in France. He is in Tel Aviv but a bureaucratic oversight means that he has to renew his visa before he can return to France.

The film opens with the two, the sexual relationship via Skype. It also reveals that they have a young son, cared for by his mother, but watched with love and protectiveness over Skype by his father. While there is a loving bond between the two, the husband begins to doubt himself, feeling that he is no one in France, that he has possibilities in Israel. The wife feels his absence, his growing concern about himself, feel somewhat alienated. The main part of the film shows the deterioration in the relationship. While the wife’s action is confined generally to their apartment, there is an extended sequence at her mother’s house to celebrate the baby’s birthday, the family in Israel are seen through the Skype camera, genial characters, some conflicts, an old grandfather, Jewish celebration at the meal.

Ultimately, it seems the end of love, the breakdown of the marriage. And continued concern about the son.

The issue is whether the husband should return to Paris, sacrificing himself, or whether the wife should sacrifice herself and join her husband in Israel. Can they live without each other?

1. The title? A portrait of love, challenges to love, failures in love, the end of love? Hope? Reconciliation? New beginnings?

2. The French settings, confined to the apartment, Julie’s mother’s hosting the birthday party?

3. The Israeli settings, confined to the home, family celebrations and meals? The final opening out, the Mediterranean in Tel Aviv? The musical score?

4. The device of communication via Skype, the computers, the angles for filming, scope for images, limitations of images? The impact of close-ups, for the relationship? The clashes?

5. The opening, Julie and Yuval, the sexual relationship, via Skype? The relationship between the two? Yuval, war photographer, living in Paris, limitations of work, possibilities for exhibition, rejections? Going to Israel, with his family, the family bonds, the lapsing of the marriage certificate, needing his visa? The contrast with Julie, at home, going to work, with the baby, Romeo as the babysitter, Charles living in and wearing Yuval’s shirt, the domestic sequences?

6. The importance of Lenny, the young baby, Julie and her care, love, the babysitter? Yuval, watching his son by Skype, his loving devotion, cautions about dangers, worry?

7. The changes over the time, Julie missing Yuval, her going out, her work, the drinking party? Yuval, exasperated, his existential crisis, feeling nothing in Paris, accepted in Israel, not communicating about the visa, the days going without phone calls, the mutual suspicions, Julie and her anger, learning about the visa, wanting Yuval to tell her?

8. The background of the family, the parents genial, talking in English, the in-laws, their own personal tensions and breakup, the old grandfather? The Jewish celebration, Julie watching it?

9. Yuval, the encounters with Romeo, supervising him, the second time, bringing in Lenny?

10. Lenny and the family, the friends, the birthday party? Julie and her clash with her mother, memories of the past, the mother deserted, bringing her daughter up, her drinking, the fights?

11. Lenny and his attempts at walking, Julie and her exasperation, leaving the room, Yuval and his worry, the baby coming back, Julie coming back?

12. The talk of separation, the end of love?

13. The final, Julie swimming, Yuval swimming, the only sequence where they appeared together? And the future? Can they live without each other?