Affluent, middle-aged bachelor Ariel meets his ex-girlfriend twenty years after they were at university together. She confesses the shocking truth that she was pregnant when they broke up and that she raised their son. Ariel decides to search for the son he never knew. Longing , a film from mature Israeli director, Savi Gabizon, deals with suffering that most parents thankfully never have to experience. As Ariel strives to comfort himself over the son he never knew, he tries to imagine him by doing things that might be considered strange, such as imitating his behavior, or unconditionally being on his side. The desperation of this grieving father stems back to painful memories of his own father, memories he has buried deep in his mind, a revelation in the latter part of the film that evolves the story even more dramatically. Such dramatic elements are effectively structured in the script and Shai Avivi’s splendid performance as the father also stands out. Longing won the Audience Award at Jerusalem Film Festival. (RHEE Souewon)