Hester Street

Carol Kane was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress category for her subtle role as Gitl, a recent immigrant to New York from Eastern Europe. To her surprise she notices her husband (Steven Keats) has already adapted to this new world. Gradually, the timid Gitl develops into an independent woman. The film is set in the early 20th century, a world on the brink of modernity, all shot in crystal-clear black & white. Director Joan Micklin Silver would later create a contemporary portrayal of the same milieu in Crossing Delancey.