I’m Sitting Here, in One of the Northernmost Places in Norway
In front of me are snow-covered mountains and breathtaking fjords. Just two days ago, right here in this freezing cold, the premiere of my first film as an independent animator took place. The film was accepted into a prestigious film festival in Norway, and I was invited to attend the premiere.
So how did I get here? How did this even happen? Believe me, I still have no idea.
A few years ago, I wrote a small and simple script during a screenwriting class. I really loved the idea and knew exactly how I wanted to bring it to life—animation made from salt. Time passed, and in the meantime, for my graduation project, another script was chosen—one that was more challenging and complex. I kept the script for The Rope deep in a drawer, occasionally peeking in to make sure it was still there, safe and sound.
There were moments when I almost managed to bring it to life—as part of my final film (I used motifs from The Rope, but it wasn’t quite the same), as a 3D animation exercise (but then another project was chosen), or as part of a music video (until a screenwriter came in and wrote something completely different). And so, whether by karma or fate, the script remained mine, waiting for its moment.
Of course, I had no way of knowing that years later, I’d be freezing at its premiere in one of the northernmost places in Norway.
But somehow, it probably always knew.
The film was produced for me by a wonderful producer named Celia. I met Celia at a conference called Co-Pro, a unique event that allows Israeli creators (who have no money) to meet producers from around the world (who know how to get money).
Celia and I originally met regarding something completely different, but our conversation was really nice, and we decided to meet again a week after the conference for lunch in Jaffa. Somehow, our discussion drifted toward animation styles, and at some point, I told Celia that I had always wanted to make a film using grains of salt and that I even had an old script for it. That’s when everything started rolling.
About a month after our meeting, Celia emailed me, saying that she couldn’t stop thinking about my story and the salt technique. She asked if she could see some art samples and read a proper synopsis.
I was so excited when this happened! I immediately asked Sapir College for permission to use their studio for a test shoot. I got the approval—and off I went to the south!
It felt so strange to suddenly return to a place where I had practically lived—filming a few more seconds of stop-motion animation every day—a place full of surprises, disappointments, successes, and failures.
I grabbed the equipment and entered the dark room. I set up the lighting in a flash, as if two years hadn’t passed since the last time I filmed a stop-motion animation. I prepared everything, connected the computer and camera, turned on the lights, and poured salt onto the large glass surface.
I tried to draw with the salt. It was a total disaster. I couldn’t create anything that looked like anything with the large, coarse salt grains. I kept trying and trying, but nothing looked the way I had imagined. Frustrated and annoyed, I went to the cafeteria—just like in the good old days—to find some comfort in a warm and tasty lunch (or maybe not…).
The pasta was completely bland, but I added a bit of salt, and suddenly, the taste improved. That’s when I noticed the little basket with tiny packets of fine salt.
What the hell, I thought to myself. I grabbed a handful and stuffed them into my pocket.
Creating a full stop-motion film using grains of salt is definitely no easy task. With every gust of air from the AC or even the slightest wrong movement on my part, an entire shot could be ruined.
I filmed this project over the course of several months—slowly and carefully. A whole month in the freezing cold of -15°C in Norway, and the rest of the time in the scorching 40°C heat of Tel Aviv.
But in the end, it happened. The film was born.
Releasing a film like this into the world is not easy. Once it’s out there, anyone can interpret it in their own way. Some might love it. Some might hate it. Some might think I’m crazy. Some might not understand a thing, or even interpret it completely differently from what I intended.
In the meantime, you can watch the trailer online, and after the film is showcased at festivals around the world, it will also be released for free on the internet.
So, what do you think? Liked it? Contact us > If so, I’d appreciate it if you could spread the word! Because the film has finally come out of the drawer…
