Moscow on the Mediterranean

This cultural profile of Israel’s largest immigrant community reveals how Russians have imported the spirit of Moscow to the shores of the Mediterranean. A decade of massive immigration from the former Soviet Union has resulted in a country where every fifth citizen in Israel speaks Russian. Roughly one million people live within a cultural “ghetto.” They read 70 Russian-language newspapers published in Israel, watch Russian programs on local and cable television, enjoy their own theatre and music, and send their children to a Russian-language supplementary school. Most Russian Israelis no longer consider themselves immigrants. They have become an influential force in shaping Israeli’s national identity, while fighting for equality, representation and control over their own lives. Director Yeud Levanon (119 BULLETS & 3, 1997 SFJFF) closely follows the formation of the Russian political parties for a year, documenting their dramatic effect on the outcome of the national elections that brought Ehud Barak to power.

Yeud Levanon served as military correspondent in the Israeli Defense Forces Radio Network "Galei Tzahal" from 1970-1974. In 1975 he was United States correspondent for Israeli daily newspaper Yediot Achoronot as well as "Galei Tzahal." Until the mid 1980's he acted as senior news editor at Yediot Achoronot. In 1976 he directed his first feature film "THE HONEY CONNECTION," film still below, that predicted the rise of a militant Jewish underground movement. It was awarded "Best Film" award in Israel and screened in numerous international festivals. "OFF THE AIR," his next feature which he directed in 1980, focused on life inside an army radio station. The film was chosen "Most Popular Feature" in Israel that year and was released in Germany, Australia, France and Switzerland. In 1993 he directed "THE BOARDING SCHOOL," a coming of age story which was a great commercial success in Israel and was also released in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Australia. Between 1984-1990 Levanon produced ten feature films, among them "DAWN" directed by Miklos Jancso, starring Michael York "THE TESTAMENT" starring Erland Josephson based on Elie Wiesel's novel, and "STREETS OF YESTERDAY" starring Paul McGann and Jon Finch. In 1993 he directed "BLACK BOX" a feature film based on Amos Oz's best-selling novel, about a divorced woman trying to recapture the love of her ex-husband. His latest film "119 BULLETS + THREE," is a documentary about the probability of a civil war in Israel, shot during the months before Prime Minister Rabin's assassination and during the weeks following it. The film has been selected for the International Forum for New Cinema at the Berlin Film Festival '96. It received a Jury Special Mention at FIPA '96 in Biarritz and is an official selection at the Amsterdam International Documentary Festival, Hong Kong International Film Festival, and Augsburg Days of Independent Films '96. The film was released theatrically in Israel in February '96. It has screened at the Museum of Modem Art in New York in April '96 and broadcast in 1996 on CBC Newsworld - Canada, Spiegel TV - Germany, NRK - Norway and SVT - Sweden. Yeud Levanon is currently a partner with Amit Goren in Home Pictures Ltd., a film and television production company in Tel Aviv. In the past three years he has also been a lecturer at the Tel Aviv University Film School. In 1995 Levanon published his first novel "TWO FRIENDS AND A WOMAN" to critical and commercial acclaim.