General FAQ

The JBFC is a dynamic nonprofit cultural and education organization based in Pleasantville, NY. It’s one of the most successful suburban art house film theaters in the country, with five screens and state-of-the-art technology screening independent film, foreign film, and documentaries. Our original three ground floor theaters were renovated in 2023 and a wine bar and cafe, open Thursday through Saturday, will open in late 2023. Visit our film page to see what's playing! We also offer pioneering 21st-century education programs, professional development for teachers and classes for all ages. Over 70% of students who take advantage of our programs each year are from underserved schools and community organizations who participate absolutely free of charge. It’s a resource for local and international mediamakers. It all started when Pleasantville resident Steve Apkon had a vision of a cultural arts and education center inspired by the power of film. This led to the 1998 purchase of what the New York Times called “The Show Place of Westchester County,” the 1925 Rome Theater, one of the first movie theaters in the area. The doors opened in June 2001 as the Jacob Burns Film Center, and the rest is history.

364 Manville Road, Pleasantville, NY, just 30 miles north of Manhattan. Directions.

For in-theater Regular screenings: $11 JBFC Members, $16 General public, $13 Senior-Nonmembers (62+, Mon.-Thurs. only), $9 Children (13 and under), $11 Students (14-22 with valid ID). Prices vary for special events and may be higher. Members get the member price every day of the week (individual memberships on one ticket per screening and dual memberships on up to two tickets per screening). Join us today online or at the theater before your show!

Purchase tickets online or at the box office, open 7 days a week, beginning 45 minutes before the first screening of the day. Please check our film page and calendar for showtime hours. Members pay no online ticket fees while nonmembers pay $1.75 plus per ticket, depending on ticket price and higher fees for higher ticket prices. To purchase online, click the link for the time of your selected screening, then follow the prompts to select number, type of tickets, and either Login or Register to complete the purchase. You must log in to your account to access member-priced tickets. For more information regarding purchasing tickets online, see "How do I purchase tickets online?" in the Member Ticket Sales or the Nonmember Ticket Sales FAQs.

Ticket Policy: Tickets are non-refundable and there are no ticket exchanges.

You can log in to your own account online to access a range of information including your upcoming purchased screenings, membership level and expiration date, and your recent giving history. Simply use the login button at the top right of every page on the JBFC website, then log in using your account email and password. You can always select Set My Password after accessing the login button if you don’t recall your password, and a password link will be emailed to you.

Once you’re logged in using the login icon, you will see your account menu screen. You can view the options on the left-hand side of the menu screen and navigate to various pages for your account. You’ll have the option to edit account info including email address, telephone number, name, and password – or just see what films you have coming up. When logged in for ticket purchasing using a showtime link, you can always click on your email address or the login icon at the top right of your screen to navigate to the account menu page.

Beginning two hours prior to your event, you can view and access your print-at-home tickets. You will still receive your order confirmation and PDF tickets via email after placing an order, but if you misplace the email or prefer to access tickets from your account, within two hours of your screening, you can log in to view and access your tickets, and show them on your phone to be scanned into your theater. You can always request that your ticket/s be printed at the box office when you arrive.

To access the Set Password function on our website, you can either click the LOGIN link on the upper right of every webpage, or click a showtime, click the LOGIN button, then select the SET PASSWORD button. Enter your email address. A Set Password email will be sent to you. Use the link in that email to proceed to the Set Password page where you will type in a new password, confirm it and save it in the system. If you are a member, you must login first to access member-priced tickets.

If you do not see the Set Password email immediately, please check your spam folder. If you get an error when you type in your email address, we may not have that email address on record with your membership – please try another email or contact us to add that new email to your record.

You can log in to your own account online to access a range of information including your upcoming purchased screenings, membership level and expiration date, and your recent giving history. Simply use the LOGIN link found at the top right of every page on the JBFC website, then log in using your account email and password. You can always select Set My Password after accessing the LOGIN link if you don’t recall your password, and a password link will be emailed to you. Once you’re logged in using the LOGIN icon, you will see your account menu screen. You can view the options on the lefthand side of the menu screen and navigate to various pages for your account. You’ll have the option to edit account info including email, telephone number, name, and password – or just see what films you have coming up. When logged in for ticket purchasing using a showtime link, you can always click on your email address or the login icon at the top right of your screen to navigate to the account menu page. Beginning two hours prior to your event, you can view and access your print-at-home tickets. You will still receive your order confirmation and PDF tickets via email after placing an order, but if you misplace the email or prefer to access from your account, within two hours of your screening, you can log in to view and access your tickets, and show them on your phone to be scanned into your theater. You can always request to have your tickets printed at the Box Office. For dual household accounts, note that the name displayed may be the primary name on the account. If you need to make any changes to a secondary name or email and do not see it here, please contact us at support@burnsfilmcenter.org Check it out the next time you’re logging in!

Our Theater is open 7 days a week during showtime hours. Visit our film page for the current schedule. The JBFC Theater box office opens 45 minutes before the first screening and closes 15 minutes after the start of the last scheduled film. The Info-line is 914.747.5555 and our Executive Offices, at 405 Manville Road, are open Mon.-Fri., 9:30-5:30.

Visit burnsfilmcenter.org/education to learn more.

There are seven municipal lots within four blocks of the JBFC Theater and the Media Arts Lab, and metered street parking. One nearby metered lot available throughout the day (check signs for time limits, currently 3 hours) is on Manville Road behind Dunkin’ Donuts across from the Theater. Another lot is in the commuter lot at the train station with spaces for non permit holders available. There are mobile parking apps and kiosks at various lots. Some lots are commuter-permit only until 3:00 pm and are available after 3:00 pm for free during the week and all day on weekends. Metered street parking is available throughout the village (meters do not require payment after 6 pm Monday-Saturday or all day Sunday). View the Pleasantville parking map for full details, click here.. Please note all signs and meters for time limits when parking.

The JBFC offers accessible seating to patrons who require additional assistance. We provide wheelchair spaces, companion seats, and designated accessible seats for those with limited physical mobility and/or vision loss. To request accessible seating in any of our five theaters, please call 914.747.5555, ext. 3, to speak with a manager on the day of the screening for which you have purchased tickets. Learn more about accessibility at the JBFC.

All theaters are equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with an individual’s own T-coil enabled hearing aid or cochlear implant to enhance audio during films and post-screening discussions. Moviegoers who do not use hearing instruments can also enjoy better sound with a loop receiver. This device is also equipped to function during both screenings and post-screening Q&As.

Closed Captioning Glasses receive captions via infrared energy and project both film captions and descriptive text (if available) directly onto the lenses, allowing patrons to simultaneously watch the film and follow along with the dialogue. Closed captions are provided by the film studio, and are subject to availability. Not all film titles will have closed captions available.

Our headphone receivers provide both HI (Hearing Impaired) and VI-N (Visually Impaired Narrative, otherwise known as “audio description”) audio. Two volume controls allow the user to mix HI and VI-N audio as needed. This device is equipped to function during both screenings and post-screening Q&As. Headphone receivers can be used in conjunction with the Closed Captioning Glasses, in the event that a film title has descriptive audio available, but not in conjunction with descriptive text.

We offer Open Captioned film screenings as the first show of the day on Wednesdays and Sundays, when captions are available. Look for the "OC" marked next to films to find Open Captioned Screenings on our film calendar. Learn more about accessibility at the JBFC. Visit our accessiblity page for full details.

Discounted tickets are available at a group rate for groups of 10 or more. The group rate is the member price of $11 for regular screenings, while special events have higher ticket pricing. Group sales must be booked in advance by calling 914.773.7663, ext. 6 during business hours (Monday–Friday, 9:30–5:30). A minimum of 10 tickets is required for a group sale, with some flexibility depending upon the event. Please note that that the group rate may not be available for all special events and that group tickets are based upon availability. No refunds available for group tickets.

Please visit our film page to check schedules and showtimes. Other sites may list some of our showtimes, but do not always have correct information and may not update to reflect in our calendar. Our film page page lists all in-theater screenings and events, as well as upcoming films.

Thank you for asking! We encourage you to read up on the JBFC Community Code of Conduct to better understand our policies, values, and community expectations.

The JBFC is pleased to support other local nonprofit organizations by donating a Dual Membership ($155 value) for their primary annual fundraising event or packets for "an outing at the Burns!".

Please submit your request, including the following information, at least one month before your event:
• Name of organization and mission (We prefer an official request letter from the organization itself.), and contact information for primary contact person
• Date of event and date when donation is needed
• Beneficiary of fundraiser
• Proof of public charity status

Send your letter and backup info to membership@burnsfilmcenter.org. We will contact you to confirm and arrange for donation pickup or mailing. Also please note that we may not be able to accommodate all requests.

Open Thursdays from 4:00 to 10:00 and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 10:00.

Our menu includes a variety of options such as wine, beer, brewed beverages, kombucha, soft drinks, sandwiches, soups, salads, charcuterie, mac n' cheese, pretzels, and baked goods. Learn more about Take 3

Yes, kids are welcome at Take 3! We even offer JBFC Kids programs every Saturday morning, so families can enjoy a visit to Take 3 afterward. Our kid-friendly menu includes mac n' cheese, cookies, milk, and other suitable options for children.

No, you do not need a ticket to visit Take 3. The general public is welcome to enjoy our facilities anytime during our open hours, regardless of whether you are a ticket holder.

Bill Gold: 70 Years of Iconic Movie Poster Designs is now on display through August 31, 2024. Learn more about the exhibit.

The Jane Peck Gallery on the top floor is open seven days a week during Theater operating hours.

From his first iconic movie poster for Jimmy Cagney’s Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942 to his final work for longtime friend and colleague Clint Eastwood with J. Edgar in 2011, Bill Gold’s incredible vision inspired more than 2,000 promotional designs over his 70-year career. With thoughtful curation from his widow and collaborator, Susan Gold, the JBFC was granted unprecedented access to his priceless original art, draft designs, sketches, and prints. Learn more about the exhibit.

Back in 2009, we partnered with the Mount Pleasant Public Library to create this permanent collection of DVDs. This carefully selected group of high-quality films includes more than 600 titles and grows by almost 50 every year, based on the recommendations from JBFC film programmers. The collection includes new releases and old favorites, masterpieces of world cinema, and great selections for the whole family. Visit the library’s website to see the full list.

The collection is housed at the main branch of the Mount Pleasant Public Library (350 Bedford Rd., Pleasantville) and is available to all Westchester Library System cardholders.

The Mount Pleasant Public Library serves a community of 33,000 in the Town of Mount Pleasant and Village of Pleasantville, NY. The library’s lending collection includes books, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, and periodicals. Services include storytimes for children, lectures and author series for adults, and PCs and wireless internet access for the public.