(Der Dibuk, 1937)
One of the best-known examples of the flourishing Yiddish cinema in Poland before 1939 is the Yiddish classic The Dybbuk, directed by Michał Waszyński and photographed by Albert Wywerka. The film is an adaptation of a popular play by S. An-sky (Shloyme Zanvil Rappoport), published in 1922. Deeply rooted in Jewish folklore and mysticism, and heavily influenced by German expressionist theater, this film about unfulfilled love is frequently listed as one of the masterpieces of prewar European cinema. The Dybbuk portrays the world of nineteenth-century Eastern European Hasidim—the world of traditional superstitions—and couples it with a melodramatic aspect. It offers a metaphysical tragedy in the spirit of Romeo and Juliet. The restored version of The Dybbuk premiered in New York in September 1989.
Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof
Guide to cinema. Academic. 2011.