Character Relationship Map: Sublet

Characters

• Michael (played by John Benjamin Hickey) — protagonist

  Michael is the film’s central character, a New York writer visiting Tel Aviv for an apartment sublet. He learns that David has pursued surrogacy without his knowledge, recalls the death of a previous...

• Daria (played by Lihi Kornowski) — supporting

  Daria is an artist in Israel who feels frustrated with her life and plans to move to Berlin, hoping for an easier future. She debates protest and personal choice with Michael, then contributes to a da...

• David (played by Peter Spears) — supporting

  David is Michael’s husband and the unseen partner at the center of Michael’s family crisis. Without Michael’s knowledge, he advances a surrogate-assisted IVF plan, then apologizes while expressing exc...

• Kobi (played by Tamir Ginsburg) — supporting

  Kobi is a man whose profile catches Michael’s interest on a casual-sex website. After being invited to the apartment, he has a brief conversation before beginning an intimate encounter, while Michael...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Michael → David (Romantic Husband) — Their marriage is strained by grief, secrecy, and disagreement over having another child.

  Michael has a strained video call with his husband, and David later apologizes for pursuing surrogacy without Michael's knowledge. Michael leaves a vo...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Michael → Kobi (Unknown Witness To Intimacy) — Their connection is indirect and limited to an uncomfortable encounter in the apartment.

  Michael shows interest in a profile, and Kobi later arrives at the apartment. Kobi has sex with the apartment's other occupant while Michael watches b...

• Michael → Daria (Social Acquaintance) — They develop an intellectually candid but brief social connection.

  Michael meets Daria through their shared social circle, discusses protest and personal responsibility with her, and attends the dance performance she...

Story Analysis

A brief shared stay forces Michael to confront grief, intimacy, commitment, and the possibility of rebuilding his marriage.

Plot Progression

1. An Unplanned Shared Stay — Michael arrives in Tel Aviv and finds the apartment still occupied. He accepts an improvised living arrangement and begins exploring the city with its current occupant.
2. Secrets About Parenthood — A call from an IVF clinic reveals that David has advanced a surrogacy plan without Michael's knowledge. Michael's grief and uncertainty become central to his visit.
3. Desire And Distance — Conversations about AIDS, protest, and relationships expose different attitudes toward commitment and social responsibility. A beach incident and an emotionally charged performance intensify the contr...
4. The Cost Of Avoidance — An unexpected sexual encounter makes Michael retreat, but he is persuaded to remain in the city. At dinner, he discloses the death of a baby during a previous IVF attempt.
5. A Tentative Reconnection — Michael creates intimacy through small domestic acts and a symbolic sock-puppet game. He leaves Israel with a renewed willingness to speak with David about their future.