Yes, in Israel “medical clowning” is an actual job. A medical clown is a proper clown (red nose, huge shoes - the works) who has received special training and works in a hospital as part of the medical staff. The basic idea is simple - to make the experience of being in a hospital less traumatic for everyone - patients, their loved ones, even the medical staff. Medical clowns don’t do simple shticks. Their work is much more complex and involved. It is a non-stop improvisation: clowns roam the halls of hospitals and engage with whatever they encounter, establishing deep and important relationships along the way. Whether it’s a parent on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a child in the middle of a painful procedure, or a dying patient in the throes of their final days - the clown is there. Medical clowning has an extra layer of meaning in Israel, a country torn apart by deep religious and cultural divides. Hospitals here have taken on an unexpected additional role - they’ve become places of peace that bring people together. Everyone is equal, leveled by the fear and suffering. A clown’s power to challenge the boundaries of what’s socially permissible, to help people change their perspective, to bridge opposites through making human connections... all this becomes invaluable here. Sasha was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. In 2007-2009 she worked for Leopolis, a film production company based in Moscow. She served as head of the legal department and as a producer on the production of several feature films involving major Russian talent.
In 2010 she relocated to Los Angeles, and together with Masha Tishkova started the Goldfish Film Distribution Company, to bring Russian films to Israel. In 2010-2014, Sasha wrote and produced several short films that screened at festivals internationally.
Since 2012 she has been working on the "I Clown You" project that has started as a documentary but has grown into an awareness campaign. Sasha talks about benefits and values of the clown-mindset and spreads the word of humanity that clowns bring to the world.
Sasha holds a law degree from the State University Higher School of Economics (Moscow, Russia) and an MFA in Film Producing from the New York Film Academy (Los Angeles). She is a Fulbright Alumna. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx