Gloomy Russians:Death and Depression of Former Soviet Immigrants in Israeli Films (2013)

Undergraduate: Yuruo Li

Faculty Advisor: Leslie Frost
Department: Anthropology

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The Former Soviet Union Immigrants (FSUI) community is the largest minority group in Israel since 1989. They are also one of the most depressed community in Israel. To express their depression, the FSUI create a new form of film, Israeli films with Russian accent, as known as accented films to distinguish themselves from the mainstream Israeli community. This study reviewed both accented and mainstream Israeli films with the present of FSUI figures to explore and compare the representations of death and depression ideas in these films. I analysis each scene carefully and how these scenes could be interpreted as death and depression ideas. By studying the death and depression ideas in films, this study conclude the collective mindset of the FSUI community and their relationship with the mainstream Israeli community. It could bring people¿s attention about the mental health problems and understand the deeper social and cultural causes of their depression. The accented films of FSUI could also become a good sample of the immigrants group find a way to communicate with the host society to other countries which have the similar problem.