The Shoshani Riddle is a true international movie. Opening his investigation in France, director Michael Grynszpan traveled the globe from Israel to Uruguay, tracking the life of the mysterious Mr. Shoshani. Overdubbing a dramatized animation of Shoshani walking the streets of 1950s France, the film introduces its mysterious star. Shoshani was a great scholar and nomad throughout the mid 20th century. It was reported he spoke over 30 languages and had a perfect memory of the Torah, Talmud, Tanakh, and more. Earning the nickname “The Jewish Socrates,” Shoshani was a figure devoted to inquiry yet steeped in mystery. On his grave it is written, “His birth and his life are sealed in enigma.” While most audiences might be unfamiliar with Shoshani, his students include Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, who authored the mysterious epitaph of Shoshani’s tombstone.
