The Dryden will screen Yentl (Barbra Streisand, U.S. 1983, 133 min., 35mm) as part of the L'chaim: Celebrating Jewish Life series.

Barbra Streisand purchased the story rights of Yentl ten years before she was able to convince Hollywood to make this film, eventually becoming the director, co-writer, co-producer, and star. In 1904 Poland, Yentl is a young Jewish girl wishing to become a religious scholar—at the time exclusively the realm of men. She disguises herself as a boy and takes her late brother's name to study Talmudic Law. As Anshel, she befriends Avigdor (Mandy Patinkin), who is engaged to Hadass (Amy Irving). When Hadass's family rejects the engagement, Avigdor convinces Anshel/Yentl as his best friend to marry her instead. Yentl won an Oscar for Best Original Score, and Streisand was the first woman to win Best Director at the Golden Globes.

[source: George Eastman Museum calendar, 2018-Dec-3]