Posted February 5, 2026
JBFC Announces White Plains Hospital as Healthcare Sponsor of Community Matters: Health and Wellness Spotlight Series
The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) announced today that White Plains Hospital will serve as the exclusive healthcare sponsor of the 2026 Community Matters: Health and Wellness Spotlight Series, a film and discussion series that uses cinema to explore timely health-related issues impacting individuals, families, and communities.
The series will present four programs throughout 2026, beginning on February 26 at 7:00 with Familiar Touch (2024), a moving portrait centered on dementia and memory care. Additional programs include André Is an Idiot, which examines the importance of preventive medical checkups; A Still Small Voice, an intimate look at palliative and spiritual care in hospital settings; and Midnight Family, a gripping documentary following emergency medical responders navigating Mexico City’s privatized ambulance system.
Every program will include a post-screening Q&A featuring healthcare professionals from White Plains Hospital, offering audiences deeper insight into each film’s subject matter and its real-world implications.
“Film has a powerful ability to humanize complex health issues and create space for empathy, reflection, and connection,” said Mary Jo Ziesel, Executive Director of the Jacob Burns Film Center. “We are grateful to White Plains Hospital for serving as the sponsor of this series and for their commitment to supporting thoughtful, community-centered conversations around health and wellness.”
“White Plains Hospital is proud to partner with the Jacob Burns Film Center on the Community Matters: Health and Wellness Spotlight Series, reflecting our shared commitment to education, access, and preventative health,” said Dawn French, Chief of Staff, White Plains Hospital “By pairing powerful films with meaningful dialogue, this series helps foster informed conversations around health issues that affect our community every day.”
Tickets and additional program details will be updated on the series page. Read and download the full press release here.
About White Plains Hospital
White Plains Hospital is a proud member of the Montefiore Health System, serving as its tertiary hub of advanced care in the Hudson Valley. The Hospital is a 292-bed not-for-profit healthcare organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. White Plains Hospital has outpatient medical facilities across Westchester, including multispecialty practices in Armonk, Hawthorne, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Somers, Yonkers and Yorktown Heights, and Scarsdale Medical Group locations in Harrison and Scarsdale.
The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission, and in 2025 received another 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — the highest distinction offered by the federal agency – for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, the Hospital received its third Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a distinction held by only two percent of hospitals in the country. White Plains Hospital has consistently received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades®, and in 2025 was awarded an “A” Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group for the 14th consecutive time. https://www.wphospital.org.
