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By Maria Esteves - February 8, 2009

The 18th Annual 2009 New York Jewish Film Festival (NYJFF09), Opening Night NY Premiere of AT HOME IN UTOPIA, directed by Michal Goldman was held at the Walter Reade Theater, Wednesday, January 14, 6:15 PM. The Coops resident multi-talented artist Yosi Cutler short film YOSI CUTLER AND HIS PUPPETS, directed by Joseph Burstyn preceded the opening night premiere film. A special Q&A immediately followed with director Michal Goldman and co-producer Ellen Brodsky. 

The American dream of owning a home comes true in HOME IN UTOPIA, a fascinating historical documentary film about the housing cooperative apartments in New York. Seeking a community protected by its own members, in the 1920s, a group of courageous Jewish immigrant workers (United Workers Cooperative Colony) known as "the Coops" built their first housing cooperatives in the Bronx. The Coops residents included multi-talented artist Yosi Cutler. The documentary includes amazing interviews with past and present Coop residents.

AT HOME IN UTOPIA, directed by Michal Goldman | co-produced by
Independent Television Service (ITVS) | USA | 2008 | documentary | color, black/white | 57 min. | 2009 New York Jewish Film Festival Opening Night NY Premiere. Festival premiere screenings include San Diego Jewish Film Festival, Sunday, February 8, 2:00 pm; Minneapolis Jewish Film Festival, Sunday, March 8; Westchester Jewish Film Festival, March 21 & 23; New Jersey Jewish Film Festival, March 25 & 29; Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, Monday, April 6; and Detroit Jewish Film Festival, Tuesday, May 5. AT HOME IN UTOPIA airs on PBS Independent Lens, Tuesday, April 28, 2009.  For DVD release information, contact coops@filmmakerscollab.org.

2009 NYJFF New York Premiere film AT HOME IN UTOPIA Q&A
session: director Michal Goldman, (right), and co-producer
Ellen Brodsky.