By Eileen Wingard
LA JOLLA, California — Resembling a young Gene Wilder, Ben Ducoff plays the genial high school teacher, Barry Bernstein, in the madcap indie movie he co-wrote, Yaniv. Directing the film is Ben’s friend and colleague, Amnon Carmi, who also has a cameo role as the Rabbi.
Yaniv was the final offering in the 35th season of the the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival and it played on Saturday evening, Feb. 8, to a near-capacity house in the Garfield Theater of the Lawrence Family JCC.
The dark comedy follows a fictional high school teacher in the Bronx whose annual school theater production is stymied by the principal’s inability to fund the project. Teacher Barry Bernstein visits his grandfather who tells him about a Hasid-run underground Israeli card game, Yaniv. This inspires Bernstein to recruit a fellow teacher, disguise him as a Hasid and together, they manage to win a large sum at the game. However, their cheating is discovered.
The smoke-filled room where the games take place has a jovial emcee named Mendy, played by Adam B. Shapiro, and a small ensemble playing klezmer music, providing entertainment for the gamblers.
At one point, Mendy sings Molly Picon’s famous Yiddish song, “Abi Gesunt.” Meanwhile, when the cheating is discovered, there is a chase through the next-door martial arts studio. There is a romance brewing between Bernstein and the new English substitute teacher, also a Yaniv player, who disguises herself as a Hasid so she can also play, and the production of the high school’s Little Shop of Horrors, manages to proceed. No more will be revealed in case you want to see this quirky comedy.
The students, all actual students from Ben Ducoff’s film classes at Hero High School, were part of a paid internship program. Those who had speaking lines were able to get their SAG eligibility. Some of the students worked in the art department, doing hair and makeup, others assisted the camera department, while others filled the hallways, since the movie was filmed during the summer, when classes were out.
Ducoff, a 2015 alumnus of Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, not only collaborated with his best friend, Amnon Caspi, but CFA alumnus, Nik Sadhnani co-produced the movie and alumni Annabel Steven and Ben Salus have prominent roles. Also, Bernstein’s grandfather was played by Mitchel Fields, who was Ducoff’s and Carmi’s high school film and acting teacher. This debut film for Ducoff was obviously a friendship affair with colleagues and comrades collaborating in the joint effort.
When asked about whether a Yaniv underground scene existed in New York City, Ducoff remained mum. But he did say the film had rabbinical and Yiddish consultants and has been well-received by the Jewish community.
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Eileen Wingard is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.