I Love You Rosa

Nessim accompanies his grandmother Rosa to visit the grave of her husband, who died forty years earlier. Rosa promises to join him at the grave soon, and the visit foreshadows her fragile health. Shortly after, she falls seriously ill and remarks that Nessim bears a striking resemblance to her late husband.

In 1887 Rosa's husband Rafael dies without leaving an heir, leaving her a widow. By law, Rafael's brother must marry Rosa to continue the family name. The viable brother, David, is already married with four children, while Nessim is eleven and cannot assume the role; the law's constraint is clear.

An early sign of the forbidden bond arises when Nessim, then eleven, privately declares that he wants to marry Rosa. His mother reacts with anger and delivers a slap, underscoring the social taboo surrounding their relationship. Rosa remains firm, insisting that she cannot wed him due to the legal arrangement.

Rosa supports herself by working in baths during the day and sewing at night, demonstrating her independence. Jamila tries to set Rosa up with a tradesman named Eli, but Rosa refuses, knowing she is legally promised to Nessim as long as he accepts the arrangement. Nessim's stubborn affection complicates issues but keeps the possibility alive.

One night Nessim seeks refuge at Rosa's house, unable to bear his own family. The next day, his mother returns with a commotion, but the rabbi intervenes, and Nessim is allowed to stay with Rosa. This arrangement forges a deeper bond between caregiver and ward.

Rosa encourages Nessim to study as the path to a future beyond sentiment. She does not yield to Eli's advances but arranges for Nessim to become Eli's apprentice when he is thirteen. Nessim studies diligently, believing education is key to eventually marrying Rosa.

As Nessim grows, he begins to rebel, coming home late and challenging Rosa's authority. He tells her that she is not his mother, and Rosa's response is cool and firm. Their conflict marks the painful onset of adulthood and a widening rift between them.

During this period, Nessim is humiliated by peers who mock him as a girl on the street. A friend takes him to a brothel where he confronts the first hints of sexual reality, leaving him shocked and unsettled. The experience foreshadows the complexities of desire he will carry.

After receiving his first pay, Nessim becomes arrogant, throwing money at Rosa and ordering her to bring him food. Rosa responds with cool detachment, signaling that she no longer wants him by her side. The rift between them deepens as he leaves the house in confusion.

Five years later, Nessim has reached legal age and has a girlfriend. A fortune-teller reads his future, suggesting his heart still belongs to another. He returns to Rosa, pretending to visit on behalf of a friend, and Rosa embraces him, recognizing that their bond endures.

Rosa explains that she cannot marry Nessim because she would be bound by law. He reluctantly agrees to renounce his right to marry her, but the formal Chalitza ceremony is never completed in front of the rabbi, as Rosa leaves the room. Nessim collapses from heartbreak.

Many months later, Nessim learns about a young widowed woman who becomes his potential wife, and Rosa recounts their own history to him. Their shared tale culminates in a sense of closeness and mutual longing as they grow closer together. The narrative implies that they will eventually be together.

Present Day: Rosa senses her end approaching and, in a final act of longing, sits up in bed and calls Nessim's name before she dies. The scene closes the generational arc with a sense of unresolved connection between the two.