The wanderer who knew it all
A film by Michael Grynszpan
“A groundbreaking film about one of the most mysterious man ever”
Record score of 9.3/10 on ImDb
Top rated 9.3/10 on IMDb
THE SHOSHANI RIDDLE
He was one of the greatest geniuses that ever lived; a teacher, a scholar, a mathematician – he had a brilliant mind… and yet he slept on a park bench, had no real home, travelled the world, looked like a bum and ate like a slob. No one knows his real name; he is only known as Mr. Shoshani. He was an eternal nomad, a mad genius, who attracted disciples such as Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel and renowned philosopher Emmanuel Levinas.
He was fluent in 30 languages, knew philosophy, physics, economics, biology, Kabbalah and other disciplines. With no family or friends, wandering homeless in shabby clothes, taking on multiple names and identities, he acquired a mythological status – some claim he was merely a legendary figure. How did he acquire his extensive knowledge? What was his world view? What was his secret?
Mr. Shoshani (or “Monsieur Chouchani” in French) is one of the unsolved riddles of the twentieth century and one of the ten most mysterious men ever. This is his story.
Ynet
“The mystery that will make your jaw drop.”
"The Shoshani Riddle" is about trying to solve a fascinating mystery. In a journey that lasts for over a decade, Grynszpan crosses the globe in an attempt to track down the mysterious man known as "Mr. Shoshani." The mystery presented is so extraordinary that your jaw is almost guaranteed to drop several times while watching the film"
- Erez Dvora, Ynet
The Jerusalem Post
"The Shoshani Riddle has become a cult movie"
- Hannah Brown, The Jerusalem Post
Shikmaster
"One of the best documentary films I've ever seen!" We don't realize it but there are certain "people" that walk among us, smart spiritual messengers that cross paths with humans and change lives many come and go anonymous, bet several become myth.
TIME OUT
"The Shoshani Riddle": this Israeli documentary is more suspenseful than any Agatha Christie adaptation."
- Yael Shuv, TimeOut
Makor Rishon
"87 minutes of a fascinating film, whose subtitle reveals a glimpse into the strange-wonderful character of the man: "The Wanderer Who Knew it all"
- Yair Sheleg, Makor Rishon
Ynet
"At some point you realize that there is a filmmaker here who, in terms of his passion, is now directing Game of Thrones. No less."
- Lior Ben Ami, Ynet
Kobi Oz
"It really is a film to see about one-of-a-kind character, a film like no other, it's like one of those rare things that makes you say, 'What is this thing?' There's even a chance it could be a huge hit worldwide."
"We're talking about a film unlike anything I've ever seen— even a fiction director couldn't have written a character like this."
- Kobi Oz, Reshet beth
103FM
"It's a beautiful film, first of all its visuals, also these interviews, these people, we ordinary people probably won't meet these great people that you met for the film, the best minds. And also the hip animation and the mystery of the character [Mr. Shoshani].
I want to tell you, to share with you, that when I reached the end of the film, I had a burst of inspiration. And I realized that this film and this thing that you, through Shoshani, are telling us, about the search, about the meaning of the search in our lives, to stick to the goal, to ask constantly, to look at the thing, from all sides, and not to take it for granted, and certainly, certainly, is true for people who are fixed in their political views here in Israel."
- Iris Kol, 103FM
Ynet
“The mystery that will make your jaw drop.”
"The Shoshani Riddle" is about trying to solve a fascinating mystery. In a journey that lasts for over a decade, Grynszpan crosses the globe in an attempt to track down the mysterious man known as "Mr. Shoshani." The mystery presented is so extraordinary that your jaw is almost guaranteed to drop several times while watching the film"
- Erez Dvora, Ynet
The Jerusalem Post
"The Shoshani Riddle has become a cult movie"
- Hannah Brown, The Jerusalem Post
Shikmaster
"One of the best documentary films I've ever seen!" We don't realize it but there are certain "people" that walk among us, smart spiritual messengers that cross paths with humans and change lives many come and go anonymous, bet several become myth.
TIME OUT
"The Shoshani Riddle": this Israeli documentary is more suspenseful than any Agatha Christie adaptation."
- Yael Shuv, TimeOut
Makor Rishon
"87 minutes of a fascinating film, whose subtitle reveals a glimpse into the strange-wonderful character of the man: "The Wanderer Who Knew it all"
- Yair Sheleg, Makor Rishon
Ynet
"At some point you realize that there is a filmmaker here who, in terms of his passion, is now directing Game of Thrones. No less."
- Lior Ben Ami, Ynet
Kobi Oz
"It really is a film to see about one-of-a-kind character, a film like no other, it's like one of those rare things that makes you say, 'What is this thing?' There's even a chance it could be a huge hit worldwide."
"We're talking about a film unlike anything I've ever seen— even a fiction director couldn't have written a character like this."
- Kobi Oz, Reshet beth
103FM
"It's a beautiful film, first of all its visuals, also these interviews, these people, we ordinary people probably won't meet these great people that you met for the film, the best minds. And also the hip animation and the mystery of the character [Mr. Shoshani].
I want to tell you, to share with you, that when I reached the end of the film, I had a burst of inspiration. And I realized that this film and this thing that you, through Shoshani, are telling us, about the search, about the meaning of the search in our lives, to stick to the goal, to ask constantly, to look at the thing, from all sides, and not to take it for granted, and certainly, certainly, is true for people who are fixed in their political views here in Israel."
- Iris Kol, 103FM
The Shoshani Riddle - L'énigme Chouchani - חידת שושני
“Nobody knew his name, or how old he was. Perhaps he had no name. Perhaps he had no age. He lacked all of those qualities by which a man is defined as belonging to a certain group.”
–Elie Wiesel
He spoke 30 languages… He knew physics, mathematics, philosophy, history, kabbalah…
“Some say he was half genius and some say he was half mad.
This is wrong, in fact he was 100% genius and 100% mad.”
– said Manitou about Mr. Shoshani
“The world is divided into two parts: those who knew Shoshani and those who did not know Shoshani.”
- Professor Shalom Rosenberg
The filmmaker: Michael Grynszpan
Michael Grynszpan was born and raised in Paris, France, and moved to Israel in 1995 to study film at the Tel Aviv University. He worked as a film editor and reporter for international channels. He set up a production company in 2000. Since then, he has produced and directed many documentary films.
Among them:
- "The Forgotten Refugees"
- "Descendants of nazis: an infernal heritage"
- "Out of the spectrum"
- "Toulouse between pink and grey"
- "Manitou - the renewed speech".
"The Shoshani Riddle" is his most personal film and the first in which he also appears on screen. It had a big impact in Israel and became a cult movie — it seems that almost everyone in the country saw and talked about it. It also received the award for Best Documentary of the Year from the Israeli Film Critics Association.
"For me, this film went beyond storytelling — it wasn’t just about Mr. Shoshani. It became a spiritual and philosophical quest for meaning."
- Michael Grynszpan
Editor
Roi Ben Ami
Excellent editor of films and TV
Music
Daniel Markovitch
Award winning composer. Composed original music for The Shoshani Riddle.
Animation
David Walz
Great painter and animation artist, created amazing animation parts in this film
Design
Noa Haber
Excellent designer, for the film and its poster
Camera work
Philippe Bellaiche
Director of Photography
Sound Design
Michael Goorevich
Mix and sound design
Colorist
Hector Berrebi
Color and online editing
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years of research
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witnesses interviewed
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countries visited
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Mr. Shoshani: Myth or Reality
Enigmatic, eccentric, and unkempt, the nomad known as Mr. Shoshani or Monsieur Chouchani —among a half-dozen aliases—was a scholar and teacher of extraordinary brilliance. His profound insights into science, the Bible, the Talmud, philosophy, literature, and countless other subjects captivated all who crossed his path, including luminaries like Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel and philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. Yet, the basic facts of Shoshani’s life remained veiled in mystery, rendering the polyglot scholar an enduring enigma.
When people first hear of Mr. Shoshani, they often struggle to believe such a figure could exist. A nameless wanderer who seemed to know everything? It sounds like the stuff of legend, a modern fairy tale, but it is all true.
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If you’d like to order a screening of “The Shoshani Riddle”, please contact us.
It is also possible to organize an exclusive event for your audience : a screening of the film followed by a Q&A with the director Michael Grynszpan. He will then dive into the film’s creation, share behind-the-scenes stories, and unveil secrets about Mr. Shoshani, the heart of this one-of-a-kind story.