Virtual Book Talk: The Extraordinary Story of “Hester Street”

Join author Dr. Julia Wagner on Sunday, February 8th at 2pm Eastern Time on Zoom to discuss her new book, Hester Street (BFI Film Classics/Bloomsbury 2025), the first book to focus exclusively on Joan Micklin Silver’s films.

Joan Micklin Silver’s 1975 debut feature film, Hester Street, changed the face of Jewish American cinema and forged a path for women in the industry. Marking the film’s 50th anniversary, Dr. Wagner will explore how this trailblazing Yiddish, feminist film defied expectations and became an international hit that still delights all these years later.

Hester Street evokes the immigrant experience through the character Gitl (Carol Kane, whose performance earned her an Academy Award nomination), as she steps off the boat from Eastern Europe and into the heart of New York’s Lower East Side in 1896. Reunited with her assimilated husband, Gitl must adjust to American life and negotiate how much of the old world she can bring into the new.

Julia’s talk will uncover the fascinatingly rich layers of Yiddish culture in the narrative and will bring vital new insights to an under-appreciated landmark film.

Please see the Zoom link in your order confirmation email. This program is entirely virtual.

Registration for this Zoom program is pay-what-you-wish. The following are suggested amounts for each ticket type:
Adults $12
Seniors $10
Students $8

REGISTER HERE