Taking A Front Seat At The Art House Cinema

By Sophie Cowley

With the mounting success of streaming platforms and the ever-growing convenience of personal devices like tablets and iPhones, some believe that the cinema is becoming a thing of the past. But the Jacob Burns Film Center heartily disagrees.

Why Art House?
When you arrive at an art house like the Jacob Burns, you know you are in for an exceptional experience. Our programmers hand-select each film for our audiences, which means that you may see titles you would never have been exposed to otherwise.

At the Burns, the show is not over once the credits roll. In fact, many of our screenings are followed up by discussions, sometimes featuring Q&As with the film’s director, writer, producer, or actors. Once the film is through, you may even find yourself in conversation with other moviegoers in our lobby or gallery.

Do I need to know a lot about film to see an Art House movie?
Of course not! Independent film comes in all shapes and sizes. Each year, we show countless comedies, foreign language films, dramas, animated films, period pieces, documentaries, avant-garde, and experimental films.

We show current films (many of which are Westchester premieres) as well classics. Additionally, we often host up-and-coming filmmakers, who showcase their work at the theater through our artists-in-residence program. To give you an idea, this past year we showed titles ranging from Moonlight to It’s a Wonderful Life.

I can stream movies on my computer or tablet—why go to the movies anymore?
Life is becoming more and more solitary as new technologies are introduced. But watching a film on your tablet will never compare to seeing it on the big screen. We at the JBFC believe that movie watching is a shared experience, something that is precious in this day and age.

We pride ourselves in creating a community of movie lovers through true human connection, allowing for an equal exchange of ideas and energy. All of this is made possible by sitting and experiencing films together. Additionally, we cultivate dialog and promote active social engagement that extends way past the final scenes of a film.

Does the JBFC show Oscar-nominated films?
Absolutely! In fact, historically speaking, most Oscar-winning films have played at art houses before they were even nominated. (Think Wes Anderson’s films, as well as Birdman, Whiplash, Spotlight, etc.)

We showed a variety of nominated films this past year and even welcomed Oscar-winners Damien Chazelle and Barry Jenkins to the JBFC months before their nominations.

Visit our website to see our current schedule and to purchase tickets!

Can I get my favorite snack at your concession stand?
Yes! Our concession stand has everything you crave and more. We make our own popcorn with real butter and come fully stocked with your favorite candy and soda, along with great organic and locally sourced snacks and beverages. Check out our menu below!