Hester Street
| Director | Joan Micklin Silver |
|---|---|
| Year | 1975 |
| Country | USA |
| Runtime | 1h 30m |
| Language |
English,
Yiddish
In English and Yiddish with English subtitles
|
| Format | DCP |
| TMDB | View entry |
Synopsis
At the turn of the 20th century , Jake (Steven Keats), a Russian-Jewish immigrant, trades in his roots as Yankel, for All-American girlfriend, Mamie, but when his s heitel -wearing wife, Gitl (Carol Kane) arrives in tow with son, Yossele, he learns in the land of the free, tradition is a bond all its own. Restored from the original camera negative, the acclaimed debut feature from Joan Micklin Silver (BETWEEN THE LINES, CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER) sees the filmmaker adapting Abraham Cahan’s 1896 novella Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto into a breathtaking, black and white examination of liberation in the face of heritage. A triumph of 1970s independent filmmaking, the film would go on to earn a Writers Guild nomination for Best Screenplay and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Carol Kane.
Listed at AFS
Archived on the AFS site between Tue, Oct 19 2021 and Fri, May 15 2026, across 8 captures. These dates are inferred from Wayback Machine captures and may not be accurate.