2014 Annual Report STORIES WE SHARED VITALITY. INNOVATION. PROMISE. 2 Noelle Moore TABLE OF CONTENTS Letters 3 Highlights of 2014 5 Film 6 International Understanding Through Film 13 Education 15 Outreach 24 Community 26 A Salute to Our Donors 29 Financials 38 3 Lynda Shenkman Curtis Lynda VITALITY. INNOVATION. PROMISE. 2014 will always hold a special place in my heart, as it was the year I started my amazing journey as executive director of the Jacob Burns Film Center. I am so proud and honored to be a part of this community and the incredible JBFC story. As we reflected on the stories we shared throughout 2014, three words came to mind: Vitality, Innovation, and Promise. Not only do these words capture the stories we discovered and created together in 2014, they also define our mission. They depict the life and the future of the Jacob Burns Film Center. The vitality of our programs is evident through the staggering number of diverse and dynamic films we presented in 2014, along with the unique series carefully curated by our stellar programming department. Vitality stands at the very core of our education programs, which ignite creativity, imagination, and possibilities in the hearts and minds of students of all ages. It drives our commitment to our community. And our outreach, too, is more vital than ever. This past year, more than 77% of the students who participated in our education programs came from under-resourced schools and experienced our pioneering visual literacy curriculum completely free of charge. Innovation stood front and center in 2014 with a number of far-reaching initiatives, including our two new state-of-the-art theaters and interactive education website. Throughout the annual report, you will learn how these innovative resources will significantly affect our film, education, and outreach programs. And even with all we’ve accomplished, the Jacob Burns Film Center is also filled with promise—for our audiences, for our students, and for our community as a whole. And promise took on a new, deeper meaning in 2014 when we launched a comprehensive strategic planning process. Through this effort, we are laying the groundwork for the next five to ten years. Together, we will create the next chapter of the JBFC story. — Edie Demas, Executive Director 4 VITALITY. INNOVATION. PROMISE. We have achieved a remarkable amount in the past 12 months. The annual report captures the significant milestones and some of the countless memorable moments throughout a magical year. What may not be as evident on these pages is the spirit and generosity of the JBFC community. All that we accomplished in 2014 was made possible by our donors, members, and volunteers. Whether providing the funds to curate a new series or keep the hundreds of buses rolling to and from the JBFC campus, our donors and members stood by our side every step of the way. From helping with special projects to sparking imagination and creativity in the minds of young people, our volunteers provide the hands-on support we need to ensure the continued vibrancy of our programs. And we are forever grateful for the JBFC staff—the most dedicated and talented group of people you will find anywhere. They are unrivalled in their commitment, creativity, and boundless energy. Like Edie, the two of us have had an exciting new year. While we have been fortunate to serve the Jacob Burns Film Center for quite a while, 2014 provided us with the opportunity to play more of a leadership role in this amazing organization. We have gained greater insight and appreciation for the collective hearts, minds, and voices that shape and define the Jacob Burns Film Center. Thank you for being a part of this very special community. Together, we are fulfilling our mission and embracing the future. , Chair, and , Vice Chair — Hugh Price Janet Benton Russell Peborde 5 HIGHLIGHTS 2014 Highlights of the Stories We Shared and the Year We Enjoyed Together Ed Cody Marion Curtis JBFC Rolls out the Red Carpet for Jonathan’s Leading Ladies Edie Demas Meryl Streep and Jodie Foster joined us at the 2014 Edie Demas joined the JBFC community on May 1 Anniversary Celebration on June 14 to pay tribute to as the first executive director to follow founder Academy Award–winning director and JBFC Board Steve Apkon, who led the organization for 13 years member Jonathan Demme. and remains on the JBFC Board of Directors. Lynda Shenkman Curtis Lynda All Grown Up Building on Success After a sold-out screening of Boyhood on July 22, We began construction on two new theaters on the JBFC President Janet Maslin interviewed the film’s third floor of our cinema complex in June. The theaters 20-year-old star, Ellar Coltrane, about the fascinating opened to the public on March 6, 2015. process of filming a movie over 12 years. Expanding Our Leading Role in Media Maker Festival Redefining Literacy Families flocked to the Media Arts Lab on Oct. 25 to celebrate our new education website with fun, In Oct., we launched a groundbreaking education hands-on activities including stop-motion animation, website that features activities and information for the light painting, and a visual scavenger hunt. general public, as well as resources for classroom use. Lynda Shenkman Curtis Lynda Trick or Treat Jon Stewart Opens Global Watch A brave and dedicated crowd had a blast at the After “The Daily Show” host kicked off our annual documentary Dark Halloween Marathon, which started at 10:00 pm series on Nov. 6 with a preview of his directorial debut, on Oct. 31. The titles of the eight films were secret Rosewater, and a conversation with JBFC President until the lights went down and the screams began! Janet Maslin. 6 VITALITY. INNOVATION. PROMISE. Film In spite of our 360° immersion in 24/7 information, we still don’t know each other. That’s why we have movies. They pull us into their world. The JBFC brings the Middle East with all its complexities, to Pleasantville. Alone with the screen, one can be absorbed into another reality, and hopefully, come out of it, less ready to fall back on old stereotypes. —Lina Matta, Curator, “Contemporary Arab Cinema” Film 7 FRAMING STORIES: Annual Series You spoil us. The Westchester Jewish Film Festival is so diverse, interesting, and provoking. It just gets better every year. —Joan Raiseelis, JBFC Member • After Dark • Science on Screen • World Stage UNIQUE TO 2014 Stories presented and shared through special film series curated for 2014. I had an absolute blast. It brought The Films of Jonathan Demme • Stop Making Sense • Storefront Hitchcock me back to those nights being a • Melvin and Howard • Rachel Getting Married • The Manchurian Candidate • A Master Builder • I’m Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful • Jimmy Carter Man from Plains • The Silence of the Lambs • Something Wild • Beloved • Enzo Avitabile Music Life • Cousin Bobby • Haiti Dreams of Democracy kid and staying up late to get the • Swimming to Cambodia • Neil Young: Heart of Gold J BFC • Neil Young Trunk Show • Neil Young Journeys • Married to the Mob • Philadelphia • The Agronomist rare treat of horror movies on TV. PROGRAMMERS’ Halloween is one of my favorite PICKS holidays and the marathon was, hands down, the best experience MAY 21–JUNE 11, 2014 FEB. 17-26, 2014 I’ve had in years. My girlfriend and I traveled from NYC and had nothing but positive vibes as we rode the train home. —JBFC Halloween Marathoner Film 8 SPOTlight MARTIN SCORSESE’S CINEMATIC GIFT TO THE JBFC Martin Scorsese’s handpicked and digitally restored films by some of Poland’s most accomplished filmmakers were featured in a special 2014 series, “Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema” (Sept. 26–Oct. 16). The retrospective featured 16 of the finest movies made in Poland between 1957 and 1987, under the oppressive Communist regime. As Scorsese so aptly put it, “Even if you don’t know the history of Poland, the themes in these films will resonate, as they did profoundly for me.” To listen to the ever-enthusiastic Martin Scorsese explain why he curated this series (and to get an eye-popping sampler of the films), CLICK HERE JONATHAN DEMME, DAVID BYRNE… AND SOMETHING WILD! “Last night, we blew the doors off the place.” That’s the way a colleague described what it was like at the opening of our retrospective ‘Something Wild: The Films of Jonathan Demme.’ It was a no-brainer to open with Stop Making Sense, Jonathan Demme’s 1984 Talking Heads masterpiece. Before the film started, we assured Jonathan that we would be able to turn up the volume as he saw fit. A big smile came over his face as he leaned over to me and said, ‘That’s great because, you know, it’s Stop Making Sense…. We can’t mess around.’ Mess around, we did not. The entire sold-out audience—including Jonathan Demme and David Byrne—were grooving in their seats, singing along, and clapping after every song. It was one of those moments when you realize why it’s so important to watch films on big screens with big audiences. But what made it such an incredible evening was the powerful combination of David Byrne’s timeless, legendary music and the incomparable filmmaking vision of Jonathan Demme. And what a way to launch our tribute to Academy Award–winning director, JBFC board member, and dear friend Jonathan Demme. — Andrew Jupin, JBFC Programmer My favorite moment of 2014 was David Byrne talking about working with Jonathan Demme and saying, ‘Nothing has been more important to me than that collaboration.’ It was just so cool to hear/see/experience Stop Making Sense at top volume that night, with Demme and Byrne in the crowd.