JBFC at Home

In these unprecedented times, the JBFC has found alternative ways to engage with our community and share the cinematic stories we all hold so dear. Thanks to the hard work and collaboration of the JBFC staff—most working remotely to observe social distancing guidelines—we are proud to present a lot of great content for our patrons, including new releases and curated film lists that can be streamed from home, hands-on activities perfect for families and kids of all ages, and resources to make working and watching from home more enjoyable. We invite you to explore and enjoy the content below. Those interested in aiding the JBFC during this unpredictable time are encouraged to consider a tax-deductible gift in support of the JBFC’s vibrant programs to ensure the organization is able to return stronger than ever upon re-opening.

The JBFC Virtual Marquee

In partnership with film distributors, the JBFC’s programming team curates a variety of new and repertory releases that patrons can enjoy from the comfort of their homes. With each screening purchased from the JBFC Virtual Marquee launching Feb. 12 (formerly the Virtual Screening Room), you’ll provide valuable support to both the JBFC and independent distributors in this trying time. Visit the JBFC Virtual Marquee (powered by Eventive) to see what’s playing! Have questions about the Virtual Marquee? Check out our Virtual Marquee Help page for help.

JBFC Members will learn more about the launch of the virtual marquee in a special member ebulletin announcing their new JBFC Member virtual accounts before Feb. 12 and will be eligible for member discounts and special members-only offers. JBFC nonmember patrons can set up a virtual account by selecting any film in our Virtual Marquee and clicking the purchase ticket link. Patrons who already have an Eventive account can simply use that account to purchase tickets on our Virtual Marquee. New members who join after our launch can let us know that they have joined so we may add their membership pass to their virtual marquee account at membership@burnsfilmcenter.org.

Curated Streaming Suggestions

JBFC programmers and series curators have compiled a wide range of screening suggestions, all of which can be streamed from home! Be sure to check out our lists, including:

• JBFC Senior Programmer Andrew Jupin’s Social Distance 100 features an eclectic mix of films that encompasses every conceivable genre, different eras, and multiple countries
• Westchester Jewish Film Festival programmer Bruni Burres’ list of 10 Hit Films from Past WJFFs offers patrons the chance to catch up on titles they might have missed
• JBFC Kids Curator Emily Ohara’s JBFC Kids at Home Viewing offers 20 suggestions for films to keep kids entertained and engaged
• Programming Coordinator Adrienne Frank’s Feel-Good Films and Escapist Films will lift spirits with comedies, fantasies, musicals, and more
• Programmer Saidah Russell’s Hell is Other People suggests thrillers, melodramas, romances, and more about what can go wrong when people are stuck in close quarters
• Creative Culture Director Sean Weiner’s Quarantine Watchlist offers a slew of streaming options
• Celebrate the JBFC’s 19th birthday with a series of watchlists that encapsulate the quintessential Burns experience, featuring a few of the documentaries, new releases, curated series titles, and all-time favorites that have captivated audiences over the past 19 years.

JBFC Education Activities & Resources

The JBFC Education team—committed as always to teaching media literacy through film—is curating fun and simple activities and resources the whole family can enjoy. Parents and families looking for ways to stay busy at home can check out the JBFC Education blog for animation activities, how-to videos teaching film techniques, suggested streaming content, and more. Recent offerings include:

• In response to the appalling violence inflicted on the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, JBFC Education has highlighted two beautiful short films that explore Asian communities—See You Next Time, which captures the intimate relationship between a Chinese nail tech and her Black client in a Brooklyn Nail Salon; and Iron Hands, which explores the unlikely connection made by a 12-year-old girl trying out for the youth Olympic weightlifting team with the gym’s reclusive groundskeeper. Share these stories with your students to spark discussion and enrich their understanding of people of all backgrounds.
• Take a FREE virtual field trip with our Classroom to Screening Room program – check out this month’s highlight, Song of the Sea!
• Integrate media into your classroom culture with our Image, Sound, and Story curricula on Teachable; use our “Show, Don’t Tell” lesson to explore the importance of building and sharing stories from our personal experiences
• Explore short films and paired streaming guides in the JBFC Short Film Library, including this month’s featured short in honor of Pride month, How I Got to the Moon by Subway
• JBFC Staff Picks for At-Home Viewing
• Hand-Drawn Animation Activity
• Coloring activity inspired by The Red Balloon (Lamorisse, 1956)
• Quick and easy “View Now Do Now” prompts
• Scavenger Hunt for Early Learners
• Family Online Streaming Resources
• Free Image, Sound, and Story Projects for Elementary, Middle, and High School Students
• Experiment with green screening, one of our most popular JBFC Kids activities
• Aaron Mace, 3rd grade teacher and former JBFC faculty made a series of videos to help ease the transition to at home learning 
• Educator Film Guides help integrate media into classroom curricula
• Let kids explore a future in film criticism with our film review activity
• Learn how to explore and utilize free media resources in your at-home filmmaking
• Play with the effects of sound on filmmaking in our Soundscape Activity
• Stream a family-friendly film from JBFC Kids Curator Emily Ohara’s “At Home Viewing” list
• See if you have what it takes to make the cut in The Fits
• Explore the concept of story with three fun, free filmmaking activities
• Indulge your curiosity in Curious George
• Create special effects (without CGI!) in our Backwards Magic activity

Jacob Burns FilmCast

The Jacob Burns FilmCast brings the best of the big screen to your podcast stream! Join co-hosts (and fervent film fans) Mike Towndrow and Paige Grand Pré for conversations covering everything from new releases and awards buzz to cult classics and film history. Indulge your cinemania with the JBFC’s new podcast for film lovers, by film lovers. Season One is now streaming wherever you get your podcasts!

The JBFC on YouTube

The JBFC Theater may be closed, but our YouTube channel is open 24/7! Visit the JBFC’s YouTube channel to catch up on recent and past Q&As, behind-the-scenes content, and more. The content is constantly updated with the newest Q&As—check it out! Looking for a place to start? Check out some of our favorites listed below, or visit our JBFC on YouTube page for the most recent content:

• Already watched Mr. SOUL! in our virtual screening room and want more SOUL? Visit the JBFC’s YouTube Channel for a video playlist compiled by JBFC Programmer Saidah Russell, featuring extended footage of performances and interviews including the full conversation between Nikki Giovanni and James Baldwin, an electric musical performance from The Dells, and full episodes of SOUL! contemporaries Black Journal and Like It Is. Watch this special Mr. SOUL! video playlist HERE.
• First Reformed Q&A with filmmaker/screenwriter Paul Schrader
• Eighth Grade Q&A with filmmaker/comedian Bo Burnham
• His Girl Friday Q&A with Hooray for Hollywood series host David Schwartz & film critic/author Molly Haskell
• Snowpiercer Q&A with filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho
• Fantastic Fungi Q&A with filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg and Dr. Tony Bossis, NYU Professor and clinical researcher
• The Biggest Little Farm Q&A with Stone Barns Farm Director Jack Algiere

JBFC Mixtapes

JBFC Mixtapes is an initiative from the Burns to highlight the music—from soundtracks to scores—that makes the cinematic experience so special. With 21 mixtapes encompassing various genres, JBFC series, and themes now streaming through Spotify, there’s something for everyone. Check out Vol. 21: Social Distancing Sing-Along, Vol. 15: John Singleton Soundtracks, or Vol. 7: Andrew Jupin’s Jonathan Demme Mix to get a taste!

Criterion Channel

Earlier this year, the JBFC was honored to be featured in an episode of the Criterion Channel’s Art House America webseries, accompanied by a lineup of films curated by JBFC Founding Director of Programming Brian Ackerman and JBFC Senior Programmer Andrew Jupin. A movie lover’s dream, the Criterion Channel offers classics and discoveries from around the world, thematically programmed with special features, on a streaming service brought to you by the Criterion Collection. New subscribers who sign up for the Criterion Channel receive a two-week free trial.

For our online film club Comedy Tonight: Classic Films with David Schwartz, host David Schwartz selected five films available on the Criterion Collection. Watch the films at your own leisure, then find recorded Q&As on our YouTube channel.

Creative Culture and Vimeo Recommend 

With us all spending a bit more time at home, the Creative Culture program at the JBFC decided to team up with our friends at Vimeo Staff Picks to curate a few short films for you to check out. The world of short film is as exciting as it is expansive and a few select outlets like Vimeo continuously celebrate films that please the eyes and ignite the mind.

Please check out these selections of shorts loved by (and occasionally made by) our filmmaker fellows in Creative Culture. And, if compelled, please continue exploring these invaluable libraries of great short films.

How I Got to the Moon by Subway
Rachel
The Dakar Express
Death Metal Grandma
Jonah
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Nevada
The Scared is scared
Fangirl
Lavender
Standby
Bug Bite
Luna Vieja (Old Moon)

Additional new releases, streaming suggestions, activities, and resources will be added to this page in the coming weeks. Subscribe to the JBFC ebulletin today to stay in the loop!