Utopia and Reality: Leo Khasin’s Film “Kaddish for a Friend” Sheds a Different Light on Immigration
People are people are people. Whether they are Jews, Christians, or Muslims. Whether they live in Israel, Lebanon, or Germany. But old conflicts remain, even when people move far away. From as far as the Middle East to Germany. They bring their hate with them. But they also bring their humanity. The message of Leo Khasin’s film “Kaddish for a Friend” is that humanity can triumph over hate – even in a strange land. The film will open in German cinemas in 2012.
The director knows what he is talking about. In the 1980s, Khasin moved with his family from the former Soviet Union to Germany. As a young Russian Jew, he had to find his place in society. He is still searching. In our conversation, he admitted, “I still don’t feel 100 percent German. In Russia, my family’s Jewish identity was suppressed for generations. The freedom that Germany offers has made it possible for me to discover my love of Judaism. So I haven’t had time yet to fully arrive as a German citizen.” Social outsiders fascinate the filmmaker. His own fate “caught between two stools” is the same experienced by many immigrants in Germany.
For instance, there is 14 year-old Ali, who moved with his family from Lebanon to one of Berlin’s notorious immigrant neighborhoods. He soon discovers that the older gentleman who lives next door is a Jew. The old prejudices immediately take hold of Ali’s family.
Ali encounters more than just the stereotypes of the “enemy” that have been passed on from generation to generation. He searches for recognition from the Lebanese youth gang in his neighborhood. To be somebody in this group, you have to be ready for war. To win acceptance from the gang, Ali must pass a test of courage.
With the gang, he breaks into his Jewish neighbor Alexander Zamskoy’s apartment and vandalizes it. His accomplices flee the scene and Ali is the only one caught. If he is charged in court, it will cost his family its residence status in Germany. And that would be nothing short of a disaster.
This story is about the lives of immigrants in a country that is their new home. Theirs is a new existence shaped by old prejudices, by the conflict between the older and younger generations, and by the lack of prospects.
Alis mother, quiet and reserved, exerts a calming influence on the family. She has to play the classic role of the oriental woman. Working quietly in the background, she makes sure that Ali apologizes to Zamskoy and cleans up his apartment. They hope that Zamskoy will refrain from raising charges as feared. Alis father, the stereotypical intimidating patriarch, does not learn of the incident at first.
Zamskoy has his own story. The elderly Russian-Jewish immigrant lives alone. His small, run-down apartment is the only thing he has. Since he has no relatives, the authorities a re threatening to move him into an old-age home. His wife’s grave and a club of Russian veterans are Zamskoy’s only remaining ties to his old life in Russia.
The film’s stars – Ryszard Ronczewski as Zamskoy and Neil Belakhdar as Ali – deliver grand, true-to-life performances that are truly captivating. The members of the youth gang are played by non-actors from the streets. “The casting was a challenge,” says Leo Khasin. “Many of the candidates ended up saying no because of the story, and my team had the feeling that the film had really crossed paths with reality in this regard.” In the end, Khasin and his team found their gang in Berlin’s neighborhoods. The cast included Palestinian and Lebanese youths. Their personalities breathe life into the fictional gang.
The film draws the viewer in with its quiet imagery. It manages to employ rich symbolism without falling into the trap of clichés. In the end, however, the film dispenses with authenticity. Ali says Kaddish for Alexander, which is not permitted in Judaism. “That was a deliberate provocation,” declares Khasin. “Ali accepts and internalizes a part of Alex. I want to see more openness among religions.”