Snails in the Rain (2013)

Snails in the Rain (2013) is an Israeli psychological drama that takes place in 1989 and follows Boaz, a handsome and intelligent university student studying linguistics in Tel Aviv. Boaz is in a steady relationship with his girlfriend Noa, and his future seems secure. However, everything begins to shift when he starts receiving anonymous, deeply affectionate letters from a male admirer. The mystery and intensity of the letters unsettle him, stirring confusion and curiosity.

At first, Boaz tries to ignore the messages, dismissing them as a joke or misunderstanding. But as they continue to arrive, often written with poetic longing and deep emotion, he becomes increasingly obsessed with the identity of the sender. His behavior begins to change—he grows withdrawn, anxious, and sexually conflicted, unable to talk about the letters even with Noa. The once-stable ground of his identity begins to shake.

As Boaz spirals deeper into self-doubt and paranoia, his interactions with the men around him grow more charged. He begins questioning his own past feelings and encounters, wondering if the letters are revealing something buried within himself. Meanwhile, his relationship with Noa suffers as emotional distance and mistrust creep in. The tension between the life he’s built and the inner turmoil he faces becomes nearly unbearable.

The film carefully builds psychological pressure rather than offering explosive drama. Through a quiet, reflective tone, it explores themes of identity, repression, desire, and the fear of being seen for who we truly are. The rain, present throughout the film, symbolizes emotional isolation and the unspoken truths that cling to Boaz like a second skin.

Snails in the Rain offers a haunting look at internalized fear and forbidden longing, using subtle performances and intimate cinematography to delve into the fragile boundaries between attraction, denial, and self-awareness. It’s a story about the struggle to define one’s identity in a society that encourages silence over truth, and the quiet unraveling that can occur when one’s sense of self is suddenly challenged.