Joan Micklin Silver facts for kids

Joan Micklin Silver (May 24, 1935 – December 31, 2020) was a talented American filmmaker. She was known for directing movies and plays. Joan was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Later, she moved to New York City in 1967. There, she started writing and directing films. She is especially famous for her first big movie, Hester Street (1975). She also directed the popular film Crossing Delancey (1988).

Early Life and Education

Joan Micklin was born on May 24, 1935. Her hometown was Omaha, Nebraska. Her parents, Doris and Maurice Micklin, ran a lumber company. They were Jewish immigrants from Russia. Joan went to Sarah Lawrence College. She earned her degree in 1956.

In the same year, she married Raphael D. Silver. He worked in real estate. They had three daughters together. Their marriage lasted until Raphael passed away in 2013. One of their daughters, Marisa Silver, also became a film director and writer. From 1956 to 1967, Joan and Raphael lived in Cleveland. During this time, Joan taught music. She also wrote and directed plays.

Her Filmmaking Journey

Joan Silver's film career really began in 1967. This was when she moved to New York City. Before making films, she wrote for a newspaper called The Village Voice.

In the 1960s, Joan started writing scripts. These were for children's educational films. Companies like Encyclopædia Britannica produced them. She also directed three short films for kids. These included The Case of the Elevator Duck and The Fur Coat. Another one was The Immigrant Experience: The Long Long Journey. This film was about Polish immigrants coming to America. It was very well-received. Many people saw it as a step towards her movie Hester Street.

Joan once said that it was very hard for women to become film directors in the early 1970s. She mentioned that a studio executive told her, "Feature films are very expensive... and women directors are one more problem we don’t need." This shows the challenges she faced. Before directing, she worked as a writer. She sold a script called Limbo in 1972. This script was about the wives of Vietnam War prisoners.

Making Hester Street

Joan Silver's first major film as a director was Hester Street (1975). It was based on a short story. She and her husband founded a company called Midwest Films to make it. The movie was made with a small budget of $320,000. The New York Times later called their company "one of the most successful mom-and-pop operations in the film business." Raphael helped Joan with her film career. He was frustrated by the lack of chances she was getting.

Hester Street was about Russian Jewish immigrants. They moved to the Lower East Side of New York. The movie's dialogue was entirely in Yiddish. Joan made the film in just 34 days. The actress Carol Kane received an Oscar nomination for her role in Hester Street. The film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. It received a lot of praise. Because Hester Street was so successful, the Silvers could then work on Joan's next film, Between the Lines (1977). This film was shown at the 27th Berlin International Film Festival.

Other Notable Films

Her film Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979) was not as successful at first. The studio that produced it changed the movie's name. They also added a happy ending. This was because "market research" suggested it. The film did not get the same warm welcome as her earlier movies.

A 2013 production of A... My Name is Alice

Joan Silver is also well-known for Crossing Delancey (1988). This was a romantic comedy starring Amy Irving. It was about a bookstore clerk who wanted to work in the literary world. She was worried about hiding her "Lower East Side roots." This movie also faced problems. Studio executives thought it was too "ethnic." But Steven Spielberg stepped in to support Joan's project. Then, Warner Bros. helped distribute the film.

Joan also created and directed a musical show. It was called A... My Name Is Alice. She worked with Julianne Boyd on it. They wanted the show to highlight the achievements of women in the 1980s.

Joan Micklin Silver passed away on December 31, 2020. She was 85 years old.

Filmography (Director)

Awards and Recognition

• 1975: International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg - Interfilm Award for Hester Street
• 1977 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards - New Generation Award
• 1977: Berlin International Film Festival - Interfilm Award/Otto Dibelius Film Award for Between the Lines
• 1985: Locarno International Film Festival - second prize for Finnegan Begin Again

See also

In Spanish: Joan Micklin Silver para niños