Spring Programming Runs Full Steam Ahead at the Jacob Burns Film Center

The 22^nd Annual Jewish Film Festival, James Baldwin Abroad, Q&A with New York Times bestselling author Jen Sincero, Oscar-nominated new releases, and the return of fan favorite series such as World Stage on Screen and Senior Afternoon Cinema, are among major programs this spring at the Jacob Burns Film Center

Pleasantville, NY – March 8, 2023 – The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) announced today a variety of unique, compelling, and one-of-a-kind events, series, and screenings for spring 2023. With special events and thought-provoking Q&As featuring filmmakers, authors, and more, there’s something for everyone. Theater renovations are currently underway at the JBFC with new seats, increased legroom, upgraded flooring, and much more; stay tuned for the unveiling later this spring.

Special Events and Limited Engagements Include:

• May 4 at 7:00: Jen Sincero: YOU ARE A BADASS 2023 (10^th Anniversary Celebration Tour); Talk, Q&A, and Meet & Greet with Jen Sincero
  A special event with celebrated author Jen Sincero for the 10^th anniversary of her New York Times bestselling book, YOU ARE A BADASS. Ticket purchase includes an inspirational talk, audience Q&A, meet & greet, and a signed copy of the new anniversary edition of YOU ARE A BADASS, complete with new foreword and updated content.
• May 15 at 7:00: Community Matters screening of Simple as Water, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Megan Mylan
  Simple As Water is a masterful look at the impact of war, separation, and displacement from Academy Award-winner Megan Mylan (Lost Boys of Sudan, Smile Pinki). The film takes us into Syrian families’ quests for normalcy and through the whirlwind of obstacles—to building life anew. The film was named a New York Times Critic’s Pick and is rated 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It was shortlisted for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar, and nominated for a Peabody, Producer’s Guild Association, and IDA Awards. This screening is in partnership with ReSet and is sponsored by the Louis & Anne Abrons Foundation, the Theodore & Renee Weiler Foundation, the Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
• Jun. 19 at 7:00: James Baldwin Abroad: A Program of 3 Films
  This riveting program is comprised of three short documentaries – all recently restored – centered on the iconic writer, thinker, and activist James Baldwin. The program includes James Baldwin: From Another Place (dir. Sedat Pakay, Turkey, 1973), Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris (dir. Terence Dixon, UK, 1971), and Baldwin’s N***** (dir. Horace Ové, UK, 1968) and will be screened as a Juneteenth special event. Restoration courtesy of the British Film Institute.

Highly Anticipated New Releases Include: 

• • Opening Mar. 10: The Quiet Girl (Opening in Westchester, exclusively at the JBFC)
    Rural Ireland 1981. A quiet, neglected girl is sent away from her dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer. She blossoms in their care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one. Nominated for Best International Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards®.

• • Opening Mar. 10: Return to Seoul
    After an impulsive travel decision to visit friends, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born, before being adopted and raised in France. Freddie suddenly finds herself embarking on an unexpected journey in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions. Shortlisted for Best International Feature for the 2023 Academy Awards®.
    Opening Mar. 24: The Lost King
    Directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) and starring two-time Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, Happy-Go-Lucky) as Langley, The Lost King is the inspiring true story of a woman who refused to be ignored and took on Britain’s most eminent historians, forcing them to rethink the legacy of one of the most controversial rulers in English history.

• • Opening Mar. 31: A Thousand and One
    A Thousand and One follows unapologetic and free-spirited Inez (Teyana Taylor), who kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry from the foster care system. Holding onto their secret, and each other, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability in a rapidly-changing New York City. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize (U.S. Dramatic Competition) at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

• Opening Apr. 14: Joyland
  The youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family, Haider (Ali Junejo) takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque, and becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman Biba (Alina Khan) who runs the show. An unforeseen partnership opens his eyes—and ultimately his worldview—in ways both unexpected and intimate. Shortlisted for Best International Feature for the 2023 Academy Awards®

Other Highlights of the Spring Schedule Include:

• May 3: ReelAbilities Film Festival Screening of Shadow
  Simon, Scott, and Sarah—a trio of activists with intellectual disabilities—hold a town hall meeting, desperate to save the world from the future impacts of Artificial Intelligence. What begins as a polite discussion quickly descends into bickering and chaos, and as the meeting unravels, they discover the greatest threat to their future is already in the room. A nuanced and witty criticism of ableism and societal hierarchy, the film is based on the award-winning play The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes. This screening is presented in partnership with the ReelAbilities Film Festival.

Returning this Spring are the Following Fan Favorites:

• • World Stage on Screen
    May 11—Aug. 17
    Programs Include: Ralph Fiennes in Straight Line Crazy (May 11), Othello (Jun. 15), David Tennant in GOOD (Jul. 13), and Zachary Quinto in Best of Enemies (Aug. 17).
    This series brings the best of international theater and fine arts programming to the silver screen for matinee and evening screenings. World Stage on Screen is sponsored by The Knolls—A Bethel Community.

• • Senior Afternoon Cinema: Carousing with Cary
    May 16—Jun. 27
    Films Include: Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (May 16), Rita Hayworth and Jean Arthur in Only Angels Have Wings (May 30), Audrey Hepburn in Charade (Jun. 8), and Jimmy Stewart and Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (Jun. 27).
    A series of acclaimed films starring one of old Hollywood’s most celebrated and dashing leading men, Cary Grant. Films will be presented on 35mm. Senior Afternoon Cinema is sponsored by The Knolls—A Bethel Community and ArtsWestchester.

• The 22^nd Annual Jewish Film Festival
  May 17—25 
  The JBFC‘s 22^nd Annual Jewish Film Festival returns with more thought-provoking, captivating, and entertaining films—including cinematic narratives and revealing documentaries that are globally sourced. The lineup for this year includes The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (dir. Vittorio De Sica), Four Winters: A Story of Jewish Partisan Resistance and Bravery in WWII (dir. Julia Mintz), iMordecai (dir. Marvin Samel), Our (Almost Completely True) Story (dir. Don Scardino), Fish in the Bathtub (dir. Joan Micklin Silver), and Let It Be Morning (dir. Eran Kolirin). More information to come soon.

Looking Ahead to the Summer:

Subscribe to our newsletter or visit our website for more details on upcoming summer programs.

• Sounds of Summer 2023 Edition (Jul. 11–Aug. 28)
• Special Pride programming during the month of June
• JBFC Summer Camps (Jul. 17—Aug. 4): Intensive day camps providing opportunities for emerging young artists to make short films in Filmmaking Camp, or bring their wildest ideas to life in Stop-Motion Animation Camp.