I Have Sinned

This long-unseen, genre-defying gem of the 1930s was the first Yiddish sound film made in Poland, mixing melodrama, comedy, and musical to tell the story of Esther, a rabbi’s daughter who becomes pregnant by a German Jewish officer during World War I. When the Russian Army advances into the family’s village, Esther (Rachel Holzer) decides to abandon her baby and flee to the U.S. Spanning 20 years of history and family tumult, I Have Sinned (Al Khet) also features the famous Polish comedy team Dzigan and Schumacher in crucial roles as a duo determined to reunite Esther with her child. This restoration, carried out by the National Center for Jewish Film, gives audiences the chance to see a rare landmark that had been out of circulation for decades. New English translation, subtitles and digital restoration by the National Center for Jewish Film.