The Dybbuk

The Dybbuk (1937), directed by Michal Waszynski, is a classic work of Yiddish cinema based on Sholom An-Sky's play Between Two Worlds. 

In this mystical tale of star crossed lovers and supernatural possession, two children yet unborn are pledged to each other by their fathers — and their souls are determined to unite, even in death. Produced in Poland in 1937, the film brought together the best Jewish actors, writers, composers, set designers, and historical advisors in Poland and features exquisite musical sequences that reflect the cultural richness of shtetl communities and Polish Jewry on the eve of World War II.

This digital restoration undertaken by Lobster Films, Paris, and presented by Kino Lorber, showcases careful new translations by Yiddish cultural historian Allen Lewis Rickman, which preserve the clever wordplay and conveys the fluidity of the multi-lingual dialogue.

Free admission! Sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program.

The screening is presented in conjunction with Professor Jonathan Boyarin's Society for the Humanities course "The Jewish Dead" (SHUM 6700/JWST 7600).

Courtesy of Kino Lorber. In Hebrew and Yiddish with English subtitles. Program notes courtesy of The National Center for Jewish Film.