Happy Ending

The Bollywood fare 8220;in which the poor guy got the girl and everything ended happily8221; defines his own cinematic vision. Eran focuses on the positive side even when he deals with social dilemmas. Stalin8217;s Disciple, a 1983 film that he screened in Delhi this week, focuses on a kibbutz in which Stalin is considered the son of God. Instead of a scathing criticism of the dictator, Eran highlights the naivete of his shoemaker protagonists who sport Stalin moustaches and try to spot the Sputnik through binoculars. 8220;Films can change the audience8217;s way of thinking, it can change the world,8221; he says. Stalin8217;s Disciple had raked in awards, with Gorbachev inviting Eran for a private screening at his palace.

8220;I was a teacher before a friend asked me to help him produce a film,8221; Eran reminisces. That film, Fun Forever, was a runaway hit and he stayed on with cinema, turning his attention to Israel8217;s social problems. His Overdose was the first Israeli film dealing with drug abuse among its teenagers, Ingil talked about violence in schools while God8217;s Sandbox was the first film to address female castration. 8220;Though my films dealt with Israel, the subjects seemed to find a resonance across the world,8221; he says.

Eran continues social documentation in the films and documentaries of 2009 as well. We8217;re Still Alive turns the camera to bereaved parents who have donated their dead children8217;s organs to help other sick kids. Cold Feet is a romantic comedy about love, marriage and everything in between. Through a long night, a deserted groom and a deserting bride seek their happy ending. So Bollywood!