Jacob Burns Film Center Continues as Positive Cultural Force in Community

It’s been more than 20 years since the Jacob Burns Film Center opened its doors, but after thousands of screenings, hundreds of special events and innumerable film education courses, the possibilities to engage the public never cease

A few years after reopening following the year-plus pandemic-related shutdown, the Jacob Burns has combined its tried-and-true successes with new ways to entertain and educate the serious film buff, the aspiring filmmaker as well as the casual moviegoer who is looking simply for an entertaining evening at the cinema.

“To celebrate the work is exciting and there is so much fantastic content coming out this fall, and I think we’ve all been waiting for that content that was stalled or interrupted during COVID and then during the writer’s strike,” said Mary Jo Ziesel, the film center’s executive director for nearly three years. “So I think there’s so much excellent work that’s coming out.”

Last week, members of the Jacob Burns staff gathered for a morning with community stakeholders to provide a sneak preview of what’s ahead in the coming months, from the lineup of films that are on the verge of release and the imaginative series and special appearances along with the courses that are available to the masses from children to adults.

Chris Holliday, the interim head of film programming, said several highly anticipated feature films will be coming out in the weeks ahead, including Edward Berger’s “Conclave,” a papal thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, which opens Oct. 25; “A Real Pain” from Jesse Eisenberg, who also co-stars with Kieran Culin, that opens on Nov. 8, the story of two cousins who tour Poland together in honor of their grandmother; and “Emilia Perez,” a genre-bending Spanish language French film from director Jacques Audiard that debuts on Nov. 1.

Holliday said the next round of specially curated series gets underway next month with Noirvember: Film Noir from Yesterday to Today, running from Nov. 3 to Nov. 19. The series includes critically acclaimed films spanning the generations from “Mildred “Pierce” and “Gilda,” to “Chinatown” and “Klute” to name some of the 11 films that have been selected.

Other series will include the popular Jewish Film Festival scheduled for April and the Pride Series in June.

“One series that is particularly close to my heart is our Community Matters series,” Holliday said. “This is where we create a film based on a certain topic, and then we invite the community to come and talk about it in a discussion about the screening, and then we head upstairs. It’s a great way for us to talk to the community.”

While the public may be most familiar with the wide selections of films available, what sets the Jacob Burns Film Center apart are the course offerings, many of which take place at the Media Arts Lab across the street and down the block from the theater on Manville Road in Pleasantville. Director of Education Brandon Shenkman said more than 5,000 students a year avail themselves of the programs, and most of them – about 70 percent – are able to take courses free of charge.

Shenkman said the ability to create and tell stories is a powerful tool in the times that we live.

“We define it as the ability to analyze visual medium and create visual medium with intention,” Shenkman said. “We feel that’s a really important skill, probably the most important skill going into the 21^st century.”

Among the programs offered is “What’s the Story?” for third-graders who get to work on character development, story structure, storyboards and other skills designed to develop their story-sharing abilities.

After-school programs are Filmcraft 101, a hands-on course that introduces students in grades 5-8 to the basics of filmmaking, and Director’s Cut: Emerging Screenwriters, a fellowship for high school sophomores and juniors taught by NYU faculty, Shenkman said.

Next spring, Jacob Burns is partnering with Imagine Entertainment and NYU to help students learn how to make a documentary.

Summer camps combine the fun of time away from school with bringing the art of filmmaking to youngsters. Shenkman said each of the counselors are former Jacob Burns campers themselves.

“We’re trying to create pathways for students here out of the class,” Shenkman said. “We’ve created very different entry points and teaching points for a student over their time here, so whatever it be, school programs for elementary through high (school), after-school programs for middle school, summer camps for everyone, high school fellowships or adult workshops, we want to make sure that every youth that has an interest with us, you can feel like you’re part of the community.”

Of course, there will be holiday features, monthly shows from National Theatre in London, kids’ screenings every Saturday and a monthly sensory-friendly film for children on a select Sunday each month.

Ziesel said as the Burns slowly approaches its 25^th anniversary in 2026, it plans on continuing to play an important role in connecting with the community and with various organizations such as The Nicholas Center and Neighbors Link and others.

“The JBFC is also proud to play an important role in our community as a thriving cultural institution that attracts people from Westchester and surrounding communities,” she said.

To learn more about what the Jacob Burns Film Center has to offer, visit www.burnsfilmcenter.org.