It can be hard to laugh at much these days in Israel. But the cult hit comedy film “Saving Shuli San” has been giving locals a 90-minute break from the pain and trauma of the current reality.
In fact, “Saving Shuli San,” the sequel to “Saving Shuli” by comedy trio Ma Kashur and director Ben Bachar, recently crossed the 1.3 million-viewer mark, placing it fifth on the list of the most-watched Israeli movies of all time.
“In one month, we managed to make an entire country laugh,” posted Bachar on social media. “Even though this is a time when only pain accompanies our hearts.”
The film, like its predecessor, “Saving Shuli,” is all about slapstick humor, making it a possible descendant of Israel’s bourekas films, comic melodramas popular in Israel in the 1960s and 1970s.
As in “Saving Shuli,” the trio, Zion Baruch (Avihu), Assi Israelov (Bezalel) and Shalom Michaelshvili (Netanel), set off on an adventure abroad. This time, as hinted by the “San” in the title, to Japan, where Avihu’s son Shuli (David Shaul) works at a sushi restaurant.
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The three arrive in Tokyo, and immerse themselves in jokes about all things Asian, including sushi, sumo wrestlers, ninjas and the aforementioned ‘san’ suffix in Japanese.
The three make fun of Japan, but no more than they both mock and champion their own Israeli identity, mining the very typical Israeli need to find all signs of Israelis and Israeli life during travel abroad.
There’s a kidnapping featured in the movie as well, but as Bachar noted in a recent episode of the Cinema City “Close Up” podcast, the laughter rests on top of pain, perhaps creating a therapeutic opportunity, given the current situation in Israel and 48 hostages still being held in Gaza.
The Israeli Academy of Film and Television even presented a special award to the Ma Kashur comics for the achievements of “Saving Shuli San” at the recent Ophir awards ceremony held on September 16.
The award is given once every few years to filmmakers who have made an exceptional contribution to Israeli cinema.
“At a time when Israeli cinema – both filmmakers and audiences – is facing challenges, Ma Kashur succeeded in creating one of the greatest milestones in local film history,” stated the academy. “This is cinema made with love and talent, and audiences are returning that love. In these days, when so many long for laughter and togetherness, this film provides a true escape.”
The first “Saving Shuli,” released in 2021, crossed the one-million mark within three months, while “Saving Shuli San” passed the one-million mark in three weeks, ranking it with “Lemon Popsicle” (1978), “Kazablan” (1973) and “Sallah Shabati” (1964).
“Israeli cinema continues to prove it can touch every heart,” wrote producer Moshe Edery. “‘Saving Shuli San’ is a celebration of humor, talent and audience love. This achievement is the result of joint work, uncompromising creativity and the wonderful audience that fills the theaters.”
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