Efim Drabkin ( rus, Ефим Евелевич Драбкин), better known by his pen name Efraim Sevela (russian: link=no, Эфраим Севела, he, link=no, אפרים סבלה) (8 March 1928,

Babruysk Babruysk, Babrujsk or Bobruisk ( be, Бабруйск , Łacinka: , rus, Бобруйск, Bobrujsk, bɐˈbruɪ̯s̪k, yi, באָברויסק ) is a city in the Mogilev Region of eastern Belarus on the Berezina River. , its population was 209 ...

, Belarus18 August 2010) was a Soviet writer, screenwriter, director, producer, who after his emigration from the Soviet Union lived in Israel, USA and Russia. Efraim Sevela was born to Jewish parents. His father was an officer. During World War 2, him and his family were evacuated from the frontline in 1941. After finishing school Sevela was admitted into the

Belarusian State University Belarusian State University (BSU) ( be, links=no, Белару́скі дзяржа́ўны ўніверсітэ́т, ; russian: links=no, Белору́сский госуда́рственный университе́т) is a university in Mins ...

and became a screenwriter for many Soviet patriotic films. At the end of the 1960s, Sevela joined the Jewish Soviet dissidents and took part in the capture of the main office of the head of the

Soviet government The Government of the Soviet Union ( rus, Прави́тельство СССР, p=prɐˈvʲitʲɪlʲstvə ɛs ɛs ɛs ˈɛr, r=Pravítelstvo SSSR, lang=no), formally the All-Union Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, commonly ab ...

in 1971. Sevela was

expatriate An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

d to Israel. Aссording to his own words, the 45-year-old Sevela participated in the

Yom Kippur War The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by E ...

where he was wounded. In 1977 he left Israel for the United States. Efraim Sevela worked and lived in many cities such as London, Paris, and

West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...

. In 1990 Efraim Sevela came back to the USSR and started filming very successful movies based on his works.

Filmography

Screenwriter: * Annushka (1959) * Nashi sosedi (1957) * Krepkiy oreshek (1967) * Goden k nestroevoy (1968) Director: * Kolysanka (1986) Lullaby, Kolybelnaja * Popugay, govoryashchiy na idish (1990) Попугай, говорящий на идиш (Soviet Union: Russian title) The Parrot Speaking Yiddish * Noyev kovcheg (1992) Ноев ковчег (Russia) Noah's Ark * Blagotvoritelnyy bal (1993) Благотворительный бал (Russia) Charity ball * Belye dyuny (1996) The White Dunes Actor: * Noyev kovcheg (1992) Ноев ковчег (Russia) Noah's Ark Producer: * Noyev kovcheg (1992) Ноев ковчег (Russia) Noah's Ark * Blagotvoritelnyy bal (1993) Благотворительный бал (Russia) Charity ball

Novels

*''Monya Tsatskes'' (''Monya Cackes'

*''We Were Not Like Other People''. *''Farewell, Israel!'' *''Toyota Corolla'' *''Legends From Invalid Street'' *''Truth is for Strangers'' *''Why There is no Heaven on Earth'' *''Odessa-Mama'' 2003

External links

Efraim Sevela's works in Russian
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sevela, Efraim 1928 births 2010 deaths People from Babruysk Belarusian Jews Russian writers Soviet dissidents Jewish writers Belarusian State University alumni Soviet expatriates in Israel Soviet expatriates in the United States Soviet expatriates in the United Kingdom Soviet expatriates in Germany Soviet expatriates in France