Autour de Yana

I just watched the 1999 Israeli film, "Ha Chaverim Shel Yana", subtitled in English as "Yana's Friends". I found it light-hearted and fun to watch, though it dealt with serious issues of marital trust and fidelity, care and respect of the elderly, and caring for each other especially in a time of war.

The film takes place in Israel immediately before and during the 1991 Gulf War, when Israelis feared Iraqi scud missile attacks. Yana (Evelyn Kaplun) is an innocent and lovable Russian immigrant to Israel and soon finds herself abandoned by her husband, who, though Yana is pregnant, returns to Russia with their money. Their roomate, Eli (Nir Levy), is an obsessive videographer who seems to have a parade of visiting women.

As scud missiles fall and people rush to their sealed rooms and gas masks, love develops in three couples. I enjoy the surprise when a film effectively combines vastly different emotions, such as humor in the immediate aftermath of tragedy in "Steel Magnolias" (1989; http://imdb.com/title/tt0098384/) or humor in the face of terrible depravation in "La Vita è bella" (English title "Life is Beautiful", 1997; http://imdb.com/title/tt0118799/). The sensual scenes in the midst of the missile attacks were a welcome and interesting - and unexpectedly believable - twist in this film.

The character development is somewhat shallow and some of the situations portrayed seem far-fetched (such as a couple who survives by posing mute and wheelchair-bound "grandpa" as a poor military veteran and abandoning him during the daytime to unwittingly beg for money), but this film has a charm that is best enjoyed, it seems to me, by not analyzing it too deeply. I'm also sure that some of the story was lost in subtitles.

I recommend this rather feel-good film, especially for the sweet charm of Yana and the bizarre connection to recent world events. Watching Yana deal with twists in her life - abandonment by her husband, surreptitious filming by her roommate, money problems - with humility and yet determination with a smile, and seeing a war through eyes swept up in love and a childish vitality for life, made it an experience that I enjoyed.

--Dilip Barman, March 29, 2004

An unexpected delight from Israel, this wonderful film is an emotional roller coaster. If you do not laugh and cry before the last frame rolls around, check if your emotions are in the `off' position. The first-time director Arik Kaplun (an Israeli from Russia) never falls into an easy trap of superficial humor and sentimental simplicity, but rises to the heights of the great film-making by developing complex character dynamics with love and deep understanding of human condition. Never shying away from the difficult and painful, the film portrays sometimes hard life of new Russian emigrants and their interactions with society. Subtly, but eloquently it shows the special bond that ties Israel together as a country, despite all the apparent confusion and bickering of ordinary life. A life affirming gem!

I saw this film at the U.S. Premiere in the 1999 South Bay Jewish Film Series in San Jose, California on 10/31/99. This film was amazing. The acting was top notch and the story/plotline was hilarious. The film offers something for everyone. The subtle expressions on the grandfather's face are funny, but you have to look hard to catch them, or you will miss them. It's mostly in Hebrew with a fair amount of Russian dialog, and the English subtitles were easily readable. There's some brief nudity. "Yana's Friends" is a feel-good movie and I would see

Just finished watching Ha-Chaverim Shel Yana. I think most Israeli films of the modern day are quite fine, although most people including my Israeli friends seem to disagree. The last one I watched before this one was Afula Express, which was cute, but nothing fascinating. But this one IS something fascinating! It's a childish yet heart-warming blend of love stories under the rocket rain, done with excellent acting and directing. Whilst rather illogical things happen in the screenplay, it's one of those movies that would simply get boring with too much logic. I think the illogical additions blend in just fine with the bigger picture, and gives such a relief to the viewer. Evelyn Kaplun is lovely for sure, but she's not the only lovely detail about this film. It's a very cute and "warm" movie in general. If you're one of those who are misled by the concept and found themselves thinking this could be Jewish or Israeli propaganda, free yourself from evil spirits: This movie does not contain a trace of any propaganda or anti-propaganda of any nation, religion, community, political view, etc. It may be slightly favourable to the state of Israel in terms of immigrant issues, but hey, that's not propaganda. Not IMHO at least.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to see something different, and who wants to find himself smiling big at subtly drawn lines of wit.

So we have 3 love stories throughout this movie - well, actually we have love for music as well, but traditional stories are three. One is very sexy, and once can justify that the gas masks the characters wear (there are attacks from Iraq at the time) and the need to be in the sealed room they share enhances the feelings. Eli is hardly a sentimental type, he asks Yana for a date as his lover yells for him from the bedroom ... yet he is very kind to Yana. He seems Mr. No Commitment, yet he is the one who asks "what now" after Yana's estranged husband is back to her life or at least back to the country. There is no real drama in this story. Prefering sexy and kind roommate to the husband who is ready to abandon Yana alone pregnant with a huge loan is a no brainer.

The second love story of Rosa who first appears very business like is sad and entertaining. It is more life story than love story and one that makes you sob.

What truly amazes is the third couple. Alik is hardly anyone's type - yelling at his wife, squalid, dignity and morals long gone and you'd think his marriage experiences lack of contentment - yet it is Alik's wife who truly amazes with the way she looks at Alik, compliments him and her love is love that makes him a better man - at the end even Alik is quite a likable character!