Escape to the Sun

Escape to the Sun is a 1972 drama film written and directed by Menahem Golan and starring Laurence Harvey, Josephine Chaplin, John Ireland, Lila Kedrova and Jack Hawkins. The film was a co-production between Israel, France and West Germany.

Plot
A group of people wish to flee the Soviet Union to escape anti-semitism and political repression, but their activities soon attract the attention of the KGB secret police.

Cast

 * Laurence Harvey – Major Kirsalov
 * Josephine Chaplin – Nina Kaplan
 * John Ireland – Jacob Kaplan
 * Lila Kedrova – Sarah Kaplan
 * Jack Hawkins – Baburin
 * Yehuda Barkan – Yasha Bazarov
 * Yehuda Efroni – Romek
 * Peter Capell – Professor Abramowiz

Production
The film is based on a short story by author Uri Dan, and in turn based loosely on the events of the June 1970 Dymshits–Kuznetsov hijacking affair, in which a group of mostly Jews and two non-Jews unsuccessfully attempted to steal a Soviet airplane and fly it to freedom.