Restoration

The film opens with the death of Max Malamud, a partner in the Tel Aviv workshop Malamud & Fidelman. In his will, he leaves his share to Noah Fidelman rather than Yaakov, creating tension in the aging craftsman's life. Yaakov continues to run the shop, but with financial pressure and a real-estate boom looming, the business struggles.

Noah, a successful lawyer who inherited a stake in the workshop, urges Yaakov to retire and sell. He views the property boom as a chance to profit rather than a craftsman's fading art. Yaakov’s pride in his craft clashes with Noah’s financial drive.

Shortly before Max Malamud's death, a mysterious young man named Anton is hired as Yaakov's helper. He becomes the new apprentice and quickly proves his talent and dedication. The arrival of Anton introduces a potential alternative lifework to Yaakov's ongoing career.

Anton stumbles upon a broken-down 19th century Steinway piano among junk in the workshop. He believes restoring it could fetch a substantial sum and perhaps redeem the workshop. This discovery sets him on a path that threatens Yaakov's retirement plans.

Anton throws himself into the repair project, wagering on the piano's potential to revive the shop's fortunes. He acts with a single-minded determination, treating the task as his chance to carry on a legacy. The work also reveals his talent as a pianist.

To obtain an expensive part for the piano, Anton resorts to stealing, showing how far he will go to realize the project. His actions risk exposing him and destabilizing Yaakov's workshop. The theft marks a moral edge to his pursuit.

Noah sneaks into the workshop and confronts the piano and Anton's work, but he cannot bring himself to smash it. This moment highlights the tension between the two men and the stakes for Yaakov's legacy. The piano becomes a focal point of their rivalry.

Amid the growing tension, Anton develops romantic feelings for Hava, Noah's wife, who is heavily pregnant and artistically inclined. The brewing love triangle adds personal stakes to the professional rivalry. Hava's presence magnifies the pressure on the workshop's fragile dynamics.

Hava, neglected by a busy Noah, leans on the emotional and artistic support of those around her. Her pregnancy makes her situation delicate, raising questions about loyalty and family. The growing personal tensions threaten to derail both the piano project and the real-estate deal.

Yaakov must decide between supporting Anton's piano project and backing Noah's real-estate ambitions. The choice embodies the central conflict between preserving a craftsman's legacy and capitalizing on property development. His decision will determine which path carries forward his life's work.

Yaakov makes the crucial choice about which path to support, signaling the direction in which his legacy will be carried. The workshop and the characters react to this turning point, and the future of Malamud & Fidelman hangs in the balance. The piano project and the real-estate plan converge at this moment of resolve.

The chosen path determines the workshop's fate and the fate of Anton's piano project or the real-estate venture. The film closes on the consequences for Yaakov, Noah, and Hava, with the legacy left by Max Malamud weighing on every decision. The narrative wraps with the new balance between art and business.