Treatment 

 

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place"
George Bernard Shaw

 

Tower of Babel

One of the most dramatic moments in the Bible opens the film: This is the defining moment in which God, in his rage over the Tower of Babel, disconcerted our language and spread us in all directions, leaving us with a mixture of very different languages resulting in conflicts, confusion and misunderstandings. I review works of art that present that defining moment, the Tower of Babel event.

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“The best way to solve problems and to fight against war is through dialogue”

Malala Yousafzai

 

Human suffering and communication, Bialystok, Poland

I am witness to the bitter street battles in my hometown, Bialystok, when Russians murder Poles and vice versa where Jews are somehow always in the middle, blamed by both sides. I thought to myself: "Wild people prey like animals on others whose only sin is that they speak another language and believe in another religion... If the barriers, that interfere and deny them the ability to create free negotiations, were to be broken, they would better communicate ..." Here, as in all the cases in which I return to my past, historical pictures of my family and the environment come to life using black and white animations.

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“The key for a common language, lost in the Tower of Babel, can only be found in the use of Esperanto”
Jules Verne

 

Esperanto, Zamenhof

As a response to the ing metaphorical events of the Tower of Babel, I develop a universal language, Esperanto. It is a language born of world-love and love of man, without no affiliation to nationality, gender, ethnicity, religion, culture or politics. In black and white animation we’ll return in time, to the days when I pointed out to anyone who would listen, that Esperanto is about liberating, uniting, bridging. It is not about taking the place of any native-language because it comes not “in place” but “in addition” to native, natural, languages.

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“The first law of ecology is that everything is related to everything else”

Barry Commoner

 

Our planet is in ecological distress

It is perfectly understandable that particular human suffering precedes everything, but there is something else, global and universal, that is in great distress. And it is not something that belongs to the world - it is the world itself, as a whole. Most biologists and climatologists in the world have long agreed that our planet is moving rapidly towards a global ecological catastrophe. Lately, the temperature in Portugal reached 46 degrees for several days. Portugal is a country that is supposed to be cooled by the water body of the Atlantic Ocean next to it. The amount of carbon dioxide that the human species emits into the atmosphere is growing, and ecologists are no longer talking about a greenhouse effect, but rather about the hot-house effect. With my cosmopolitan approach I strongly advocate using the Esperanto, a global, supranational, transnational language that is not influenced by the forceful history of the superpowers. Educating the young generation for the use of a mean of communication that is universal language may contribute to a radical change of consciousness which is necessary to deal with the immense ecological problem of our planet that is shared by all and does not recognize ethnic, racial, religious, gender and national differentiation.

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“We are a unique ape. We have language. Other animals have systems of communication that fall far short of that. They don't have the same ability to communicate complicated conditionals and what-ifs and talk about things that are not present”

Richard Dawkins

 

What is communication, Prof. Gilad Zuckerman

Zuckerman, a renowned linguistics expert, lecturer and researcher, visits the Safari. Between monkeys and bees, birds and elephants, zebras and crocodiles, Zuckerman demonstrates definitions of communication and language, what is common or different among them.

What is the place of the spoken language? What is its accessibility potential? How is it dependent on social and political dictates?

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"If the mouth don't say it the face definitely will"

Sigmund Freud

 

Body language, Desmond Morris, Amir Helmer

Morris, a renowned and influential British sociologist and biologist, brings examples and explanations of body language patterns: What are dances? And belly- dance? When is sexual excitement identified? Why are earlobes being pierced? Why tattoos and what do they say? And how does all this relate to the animal world? Helmer observes the body language and provides an explanation of the body language codes. Implementing and demonstrating the decoding of the body language of actors on stage and of famous people. He also regards the issue of what is common in body language (crying, laughter) and what are the differences (as in hand gestures).

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“Are you taking any foreign language classes?

Yes, Math”

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Universal Languages 1, Mathematics, Prof. Avshalom Elitzur

Mathematics as a universal language. Characteristics of the language and its characteristics that make it universal. No matter the dialect being spoken - the result will be identical...

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“How will the Tower of Babel be undone? How will we understand each other in Heaven? Will we all speak English or Dutch or Latin?

No, we will speak music”

Peter Kreeft

 

Universal Languages 2, Music, Dr. Shlomi Goldenberg, Dr. Robert Zatorre

Music is the queen of the universal languages. While wandering around the world, the two experts demonstrate the close connection between music and communication.

Equally important is the close connection between music and our physical body.

“Human language appears to be a unique phenomenon, without significant analogue in the animal world”

Noam Chomsky

 

The universal grammar, Noam Chomsky

All natural languages ​​share common syntax principles and are innate. The Oxford English, the biblical Hebrew, the African Hadzabe (using imitation of animals) all have the same principles.

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A second thought on universal grammar

Recently, there are those who question Chomsky's "universal grammar." What is the "latest news" in the field? What is the connection with Esperanto, a language that is not natural? After all, there are many whose mother tongue is Esperanto. How does it works?

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“There is danger in reckless change, but greater danger in blind conservatism”

Henry George

 

“Obsessive hallucination” incinerated: Zamenhof SR.  disapproves of Esperanto

Animation that is based on the end of the 19th century: family photos, postcards, newspaper headlines, envelopes, radio headlines, brochures. I was about to complete my ophthalmology studies. I am also developing the Esperanto. As far as my father is concerned, Esperanto is wasting my time. He thinks that I am “subjected to esoteric and obsessive fantasies." When I went to Moscow to receive my Doctor title,  he set fire to years of work and burned my Esperanto notebooks. So Esperanto was invented twice: I re-built it, from top to bottom.

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Doctoro Esperanto, Zamenhof

A modest party of friends (illustrations and black-and-white photos come to life in animation), which marks the publication of my first book. I signed it under a pseudonym: "Doctor Esperanto", which is Doctor Hope. The hope is that all people will adopt Esperanto as a second language, uniting, mediating, "Lingua Franca".

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“I can speak Esperanto like a native”

Spike Milligan

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Esperanto, easy language, Omri Wendell

Wendel is a renowned professor of astrophysics, head of the Israel Esperanto Association and a central figure in the World Esperanto Association. His children, Esperanto is their mother tongue. We’ll have a day in Jerusalem with an Israeli family that lives and talk Esperanto.

 

The International Academy Is Committing For The Sake Of Better Ecology

Wandel and Linguistics Professor Proval Dasgupta, from Calcutta, India, shape the role of the academy in preserving the Esperanto, regards its accessibility and its ability to contribute to the future of the world ecology.

 

Every man owes himself, Leo Tolstoy

My work is not in vain. The first celeb that supported me and the language I created was Lev Tolstoy who was vastly quoted in the media stating: "After two hours of study, I was able to read Esperanto freely, and anyone who can learn Esperanto owes it to himself!" This is illustrated in black-and-white animation of periodic newspapers that are located in archives that we access via the Internet.

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“The ability to speak several languages is an asset, but the ability to keep your mouth shut in any language is priceless.”

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The language is spreading, Benjamin Franklin

B&W animations are used in order to enliven newspapers and radio from the beginning of the 20th century. The headlines tell us about the American Philosophical Society, founded by Benjamin Franklin, which gives the first world publication to Esperanto. “It is beneficial for the world to have a universal language!”

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In Japan I am a saint, Kurenai Deguchi,  Ayabe, Japan.

Temple of the Oomoto religion in Ayabe, Japan, led by Kurenai Deguchi. We observe the practice of Aikido, a component of the practice of believers. Deguchi details the circumstances under which the followers of the Oomoto religion chose me, Ludwik Lazer Zamenhof, as one of the four divine entities of the Oomoto religion. My feelings rise in me, I am impressed by these precious and special people. As Aikido artists they also put on an Aikido show, a manifestation that presents a plot that is an option for an illustration of their choosing me. "Holy Zamenhof" !

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“There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew”

Marshall McLuhan

 

The First Esperanto Congress, the railway station of Boulogne-sur-Mer, France

I am very excited about this moment in which I will recreate (B&W Animation, Periodical Reconstruction, 1905) the event that occured when I came from Warsaw by train. I was received by 700 Esperantists from Poland, France, Spain, Russia and England. And they all speak the language I created! Bliss!

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“The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens”

Bahá'u'lláh

 

The Bahá'í Faith

A universal, egalitarian, peace-loving religion. Its founder is buried in Acre and its world administration resides in Haifa in magnificent gardens. The Bahai  representatives share with us the reasons why they adopted Esperanto. Great compliment!

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“What kind of a world do we live in that has room for dog-yoga but not for Esperanto?”

Arika Okrent

 

China, Ronald J. Glossop, Professor of Philosophy and Peace Studies

Glossop, an outstanding personality with a particularly long list of credits, takes us to China where a very differently structured language is used. Instead of 'letters', to which we are accustomed, it has ‘signs’. They combine visual meaning with sound. Esperanto has had extraordinary success in China and we’ll figure out why and how it is doing today. There are radio and television stations that broadcast in Esperanto. I’ll pay a visit and see why Esperanto.

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“As humans we speak one language”

Avril Lavigne

 

UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, CEO / Preservation of languages, Prof. Zuckerman

The director-general was the culture minister of France. She explains UNESCO's connection to languages ​​in general and their preservation in particular. She mentions Montevideo's decision to define Esperanto as the "language of humanity." My invented language is being recognized! Her interview is edited parallel to Zukerman who points to the close connection between the extinction of language and the extinction of culture as occurred with the Aborigines in Australia.

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“English? Who needs that? I am never going to England!”

Homer Simpson

 

English conquers and takes over, Dr. Tal Goldfine, Tel Aviv University

Even though the Esperanto did spread worldwide - the desired goal has not been realized and Esperanto is defeated by English. Tal, the linguist from Tel Aviv is, indirectly, connected to my family. With Google-Maps, Google-Earth, archive footage and Hollywood films, she describes the series of the bloody conquests and exploitations of the British Empire. The hegemony of English becomes a fact. Then came the Internet, also subject to English. Is there a chance for a change? Tal is an expert on created languages ​​in general, and Esperanto in particular.

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“The new electronic independence re-creates the world in the image of a global village”

Marshall McLuhan

 

Language and Literature, Amos Oz

A prominent Israeli author, leading his generation. I'm interested in hearing what he has to say about language. In his book "Between Friends," there is a story about an Esperantist, a new immigrant from the Netherlands, known as a "World Improver” What, am I also considered as such? Is it good? depressing?

The world in which the story is conducted is my old world, so here too a B&W animation is being utilized.

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Renewal of Hebrew, Gil Hovav

How did Hebrew survive through thousands of years in the stormy sea of languages of ​​humanity? Hebrew is probably the only language that has returned to being spoken and active after thousands of years of recess. It is Eliezer Ben Yehuda to thank for that. Gil Hovav is his great-grandson. He tells how this special language, Biblical and archaic language, became a living and updated language, and its story is cool ... That's what they say, "cool", right? Ben Yehuda's analog world is animated by black-and-white animation

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“Every black American is bilingual. All of them. We speak street vernacular and we speak 'job interview' " 

Dave Chappelle

 

Is English in decline? Asher Idan

Doctor of Philosophy and a social networking expert, he indicates to the decline of English. It is evident in social networks writings, especially so in the Far East and Latin America. He directs us to a language learning site, Duolingo. There are more than one million (!) subscribers for Esperanto studies. And I ask: Is it still not clear that Esperanto is the right solution?

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“The age of automation is going to be the age of 'do it yourself '

Marshall McLuhan

 

Google translate and Google Assistant, Yariv Adan, Google's assistant manager

The internet of things? Talking with devices? LOL ... This notion of "talking with devices", well, the world has really become strange ... but in a good way! How will people talk to devices around the world? This is the domain that Yariv Adan manages in Google. Communication with devices should be like talking to people (including humor ...). Yariv exhibits the connection between computers and languages, and regards the language I invented, Esperanto: Can it be the new mediating language? Could it be a possibility? Yariv relates that Esperanto is the most successful built-in language of all time, and Wikipedia in Esperanto is ranked 32nd on Google.

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“If something goes wrong at the plant, blame the guy who can't speak English”

Dan Castellaneta

 

The world is warm and flat, Thomas Friedman

A famous commentator from the New York Times, wrote about the world becoming "hot, flat and crowded." The ecological problem is gnawing at world peace and existence. I would like to propose Esperanto as a language that connects all those who care and work for the ecological restoration of the world.

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“In this electronic age we see ourselves being translated more and more into the form of information, moving toward the technological extension of consciousness”

Marshall McLuhan

 

Epilogue

Is Esperanto, a uniting, bridging language, destined for failure? Or does it carry hope for world peace alongside humanity's well-being? The film ends in the 2020 World Congress of Esperanto in Montreal, Canada. Esperantists tend to stay with each other in different countries. Already, in advance, I received innumerable invitations to stay over. Thousands of people from all over the world are expected to come, including quite a few young people that Esperanto is their mother tongue simply because their parents got acquainted and married due to their association with Esperanto. Together with all the thousands who arrive we’ll throw a world party. Via Skype, and other options offered by the Internet, we’ll connect to Esperantists from around the world. We will mobilize them all to spread the word of the implementation of Esperanto for the world well-being and for the ecological survival of humankind.

Come join us! It will be fun!

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