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Timeline

Longing (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 103 mins · Hebrew
JustWatch #20,915
Directed by
Savi Gabizon
Starring
Neta Riskin, Assi Levy, Shai Avivi, Yoram Toledano, Ori Laizerouvich

A wealthy, childless man named Ariel receives an unexpected phone call from a former college girlfriend. She reveals that she was pregnant when they broke up twenty years prior and has since raised a son. This revelation prompts Ariel to confront his feelings about parenthood and embark on a journey that will profoundly alter the course of his life.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Categories
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Longing (2017)

Where can you watch Longing? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Chai Flicks, Fawesome and Kanopy: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Longing Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Longing (2017) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Ariel and Ronit's reunion

    Ariel meets his ex-partner Ronit at a restaurant, twenty years after they broke up. Ronit reveals that when they separated, she was pregnant with his child and that their son Adam died in a car accident two weeks earlier. The shocking news unsettles Ariel and initiates his journey to learn more about Adam's life.

    Where
    Tel Aviv restaurant
  2. Adam's death disclosed

    Ronit tells Ariel that Adam died two weeks before the reunion. The revelation reframes Ariel's understanding of his past and his family. He decides to travel to Acre to gather details from people who knew Adam.

    Where
    Restaurant, Tel Aviv
  3. Ariel travels to Acre

    Following the reunion, Ariel travels to Acre to meet the people who knew Adam. The trip becomes a pursuit to piece together Adam's life and the relationships he built. He hopes these memories will help him understand his son better.

    Where
    Acre
  4. Meeting Miki

    In Acre, Ariel meets Miki, a friend of Adam. Miki explains that Adam and he had once bought a kilogram of hashish to earn a living, and that the hashish was lost in the car accident that killed Adam. The exchange broadens the scope of Adam's life beyond the family circle.

    Where
    Acre, Miki's location
  5. Adam's school revealed

    Miki tells Ariel where Adam's school was, guiding him to the place where Adam spent part of his life. The school becomes a focal point for learning about Adam's adolescence and the events surrounding it. This step brings Ariel closer to the daily world Adam inhabited.

    Where
    Adam's school
  6. Principal Amnon speaks

    At the school, Ariel meets Principal Amnon, who explains that Adam was expelled after writing an obscene poem about the French teacher on the wall outside the building. The incident hints at Adam's rebellious streak and the tensions of school life. It's a key piece in understanding the complexities of Adam's youth.

    When
    End of the school day
    Where
    Adam's school
  7. Lilia sheds light on Adam's life

    In the schoolyard, Lilia, Adam's 15-year-old girlfriend, tells Ariel that Adam had been living with her because of a conflict with his stepfather. This detail adds depth to Adam's personal life and the family dynamics around him. It also shows that Adam sought shelter with friends during upheaval.

    Where
    Adam's schoolyard
  8. Yael and Adam's love

    Ariel learns that Adam's true love was Yael, the French teacher. Yael explains that Adam was in love with her, but she refrained from pursuing a relationship because he was her student. This confession adds a poignant dimension to Adam's relationships and the limits of teacher-student boundaries.

    When
    End of the school day
    Where
    School setting near Yael
  9. Ariel meets Yael

    At the end of the school day, Ariel waits by the school gate and spots Yael leaving. He approaches her, and they begin to talk, initiating a direct conversation about Adam and his life. The exchange provides Ariel with Yael's perspective on Adam's feelings and experiences.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    School gate
  10. Visiting Adam's grave

    Ariel visits Adam's grave, seeking a tangible connection to the son he never fully knew. The cemetery becomes a quiet setting for memory, reflection, and perhaps reconciliation with the past. The visit marks a turning point in his journey toward understanding Adam.

    Where
    Adam's graveyard
  11. Gideon meets Ariel

    At the cemetery, Ariel befriends Gideon, the father of Abigail, a person who suffered from depression and died by suicide at eighteen. This encounter broadens Ariel's circle of people affected by Adam's world. It introduces new perspectives on loss, memory, and the bonds that persist beyond tragedy.

    Where
    Cemetery
  12. Gideon's proposal

    Gideon proposes an idea inspired by a Chinese custom: to marry Adam and Abigail. The proposal presents a provocative way to honor Adam's memory by creating a domestic linkage. Ariel considers the plan as a meaningful, if unconventional, extension of Adam's legacy.

    Where
    Cemetery
  13. Ariel sees potential in the idea

    Ariel finds Gideon's proposal appealing and starts to envisioned a future where Adam's memory lives on through a new union. He contemplates how such an arrangement might heal wounds and connect the generations. The idea reframes his understanding of family and memory.

    Where
    Cemetery
  14. Ariel begins to act on the plan

    Committed to the idea, Ariel begins to take steps to arrange the marriage between Adam and Abigail. He works to connect the people who knew Adam with those who care for Abigail, turning memory into a living project. The journey becomes a mission to keep Adam's story alive.

    Where
    Acre / planning
  15. A quest to understand Adam

    Throughout the journey, Ariel aims to understand Adam by learning about the life he led and the people who knew him. Each encounter fills in pieces of who Adam was and what his life meant to those around him. The timeline closes with Ariel carrying Adam's story forward in his actions and decisions.

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:52

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Timeline questions answered

Longing Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Longing (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Ronit keep Adam's existence a secret for 20 years?

Ronit was pregnant when she and Ariel broke up twenty years ago. She chose to raise Adam alone without telling Ariel, likely to protect both herself and Ariel from the complexity of an unexpected pregnancy at that time. The film doesn't explain her exact reasons, but the revelation only comes after Adam's death, suggesting she may have felt it was too late to introduce this complication into their lives.

  • ronit
  • secret pregnancy
  • adam's mother
  • told too late
Q2

How did Adam die and when?

Adam died in a car accident two weeks before Ronit contacted Ariel. The accident occurred when Adam and his friend Miki were driving and crashed, resulting in Adam's death. The car also contained a kilogram of hashish they had purchased for their business, which was lost in the accident.

  • adam death
  • car accident
  • miki
  • hashish
Q3

Why was Adam expelled from school?

Adam was expelled after writing an obscene poem about his French teacher, Yael, on a wall near the school building. Principal Amnon explains this incident to Ariel, revealing Adam's rebellious streak and the tensions in his school life. This expulsion becomes a key detail in understanding Adam's troubled youth.

  • adam expelled
  • school
  • principal amnon
  • poem
Q4

What was Adam's relationship with the French teacher Yael?

Adam was in love with Yael, his French teacher. Their relationship was complex because Adam was her student, which created an impossible situation. Yael reveals to Ariel that Adam had strong feelings for her, but she consistently refused to pursue anything romantic due to the teacher-student dynamic.

  • adam
  • yael
  • french teacher
  • love
  • student
Q5

Why didn't Yael pursue a relationship with Adam?

Yael refused to pursue a romantic relationship with Adam because he was her student. Despite his feelings for her, she maintained professional boundaries and did not act on his affection. This decision haunts her, as she admits to Ariel that the situation was painful for both of them.

  • yael
  • teacher student relationship
  • refused
  • boundaries
Q6

What was the hashish business Adam started with Miki?

Adam and his friend Miki bought a kilogram of hashish with the intention of starting a small business to earn a living. The plan was precarious and illegal. Unfortunately, the hashish was in the car when Adam died in the accident, so the substance was lost along with Adam's life.

  • miki
  • hashish
  • business
  • car accident
Q7

Who was Lilia and why did Adam live with her?

Lilia was Adam's 15-year-old girlfriend. She tells Ariel that Adam had been living with her because he had conflicts with his stepfather at home. This reveals the instability in Adam's family life and shows that he sought refuge with friends during difficult times.

  • lilia
  • girlfriend
  • stepfather
  • lived with her
Q8

What was Gideon's proposal to marry Adam and Abigail?

Gideon, whose daughter Abigail died by suicide at 18, proposed an idea inspired by a Chinese custom: to arrange a symbolic marriage between Adam and Abigail. The purpose would be to honor both young people who died prematurely and create a meaningful connection between their families.

  • gideon
  • abigail
  • marriage proposal
  • chinese custom
Q9

Why did Ariel agree to Gideon's unusual proposal?

Ariel found Gideon's proposal meaningful because it offered a way to honor Adam's memory and give his short life greater significance. The idea of connecting Adam with Abigail, another young person who died too young, represented an unconventional but meaningful legacy that could bridge grief across families.

  • ariel
  • gideon
  • accepted
  • memory
  • legacy
Q10

What did Ariel discover about Adam during his journey?

Through conversations with Miki, Principal Amnon, Lilia, Yael, and Gideon, Ariel discovered that Adam was a rebellious but passionate young man with complex relationships. He learned about Adam's struggles at home, his expulsion from school, his failed business venture, his love for his teacher, and his search for connection despite difficult circumstances.

  • ariel learned
  • discovered
  • son
  • journey

Movie threads

More Movies Like Longing, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Longing tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Slow-Burn Character Studies of Grief Like in Longing

Patient films that follow characters processing profound loss with aching sincerity. Looking for movies like Longing? This section features patient, character-driven dramas that explore grief and loss with a similar quiet intensity. If you appreciated the methodical, melancholic journey of confronting a profound personal loss, you'll find similar emotionally heavy stories here.

  • melancholic
  • somber
  • contemplative
  • grieving
  • quiet
  • reflective
  • Tone: melancholic, somber, reflective
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate, patient
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a character in the aftermath of a significant loss. The narrative unfolds slowly, often through small discoveries and quiet interactions, as the protagonist attempts to understand or piece together the life that was lost, leading to a personal, bittersweet reckoning.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the slow, introspective process of grieving. They prioritize atmosphere and emotional authenticity, featuring low-intensity narratives, heavy emotional weight, and a melancholic tone that allows the viewer to fully inhabit the character's sorrowful journey.

Late Reckonings with Lost Legacies Like in Longing

Stories where characters must confront a hidden past and its profound consequences. If you enjoyed the premise of Longing, where a man uncovers the son he never knew, explore these movies about delayed revelations. These films focus on characters confronting a hidden past, often involving family secrets or lost chances, leading to a bittersweet emotional journey of discovery and acceptance.

  • contemplative
  • regretful
  • reflective
  • unfulfilled
  • nostalgic
  • somber
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic, contemplative
  • Pacing: steady, straightforward
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern begins with a disruptive revelation about the past. The protagonist then embarks on a fact-finding mission, meeting people connected to the secret. This linear, straightforward journey is less about mystery and more about emotional discovery, culminating in a reassessment of the protagonist's identity and life choices.

Why they belong together: These films share a core plot device—a life-altering secret from the past—that drives a character's emotional arc. They blend themes of memory, legacy, and regret with a straightforward narrative structure, resulting in a poignant, often bittersweet exploration of alternate lives and unfulfilled longing.

Categories

Movie Lists Featuring Longing

Longing appears in these hand-built movie categories. Each one groups movies by a specific mood, theme or story type, with their plot summaries and endings explained.

View all movie categories

Every angle

Longing (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Longing in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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