Past Film/Video | Classics | Series & Festivals

Hester Street

(Joan Micklin Silver, 1975)

Introduced by Tim Lanza, Vice President and Archivist, the Cohen Film Collection

New Restoration

A stark image of a woman in profile, who appears sad.

Carol Kane stars in Hester Street, Joan Micklin Silver's lovingly detailed depiction of Jewish immigrant life (with much of the dialogue delivered in Yiddish) in New York at the turn of the last century. 

A young woman, Gitl (played by the Oscar-nominated icon Kane) arrives from Russia with her son to join up with her husband Yankel (Steven Keats) who has been in the US for three years. Yankel has assimilated quickly to his new home: he’s anglicized his name to Jake, shaved his beard, and started an affair with a dancer. In the meantime, the marriage is further strained by Gitl’s reluctance to shed her traditional lifestyle. Named to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry in 2011. (89 mins., 4K DCP)

A stark image of a woman in profile, who appears sad.

Hester Street | Image courtesy of the Cohen Film Collection

Three people stand together, in the center is a rabbi looking at a man. A woman stands to the side with her hands outstretched

Hester Street | Image courtesy of the Cohen Film Collection

A woman sits at a table looking up, behind her is a mirror reflecting the image of a person a cloth

Hester Street | Image courtesy of the Cohen Film Collection

A wide image of street vendors and people walking through the street

Hester Street | Image courtesy of the Cohen Film Collection

A close-up of a woman's face looking off to the side. Her hair is a bit messy and she appears sad

Hester Street | Image courtesy of the Cohen Film Collection

Restored from the original 35mm negative by Cohen Film Collection at DuArt Media Services in New York. Color grading was approved by Marisa Silver.

SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED BY
JewishColumbus Foundation Adrienne and Sidney Chafetz Wexner Center for the Arts Endowment Fund

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Cardinal Health
Kaufman Development

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
The Wexner Family
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Columbus Foundation
Ohio Arts Council
American Electric Power Foundation
L Brands Foundation
Adam Flatto
Mary and C. Robert Kidder
Bill and Sheila Lambert
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Nationwide Foundation
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease
Arlene and Michael Weiss

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Mike and Paige Crane
Pete Scantland
Axium Packaging
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
President Kristina M. Johnson and Mrs. Veronica Meinhard
Nancy Kramer
Huntington
Lisa Barton
Johanna DeStefano
Russell and Joyce Gertmenian
Liza Kessler and Greg Henchel
Ron and Ann Pizzuti
Joyce and Chuck Shenk
Bruce and Joy Soll
Clark and Sandra Swanson
Jones Day

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Past Film/Video

Hester Street