World Premiere of “In Waiting” and Q&A with Filmmakers
The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC), a cultural arts institution with a dual mission of film and education, announced today the world premiere screening of a film created by students at the Westchester County Jail. The film In Waiting will premiere at the JBFC Theater on Monday, February 27 at 6:30 pm, with a panel discussion following the screening.
In Waiting was created by students in the Southern Westchester BOCES Incarcerated Youth Program (IYP) at the Westchester County Jail. The JBFC spent six months teaching six inmates how to film and edit digital video and helped them produce a narrative film, an adaptation of Israel Horovitz’s seminal play, The Indian Wants the Bronx. The result is a compelling narrative short investigating issues of masculinity in prison today. This project was made possible with support from Westchester County Department of Corrections. Following the screening will be a panel discussion. This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by Monday, February 20 to education@burnsfilmcenter.org.
This digital video project was piloted at the Westchester County Jail in the fall of 2008. Previous films created in this program are Judgement, which explores the idea of being judged and judging others; and Look Inside, which chronicles both the day-to-day life experiences of incarceration, and the students’ individual self-reflections.
“It’s been an incredible experience for the JBFC to work with the Incarcerated Youth Program and we are proud to be screening the courageous story the students chose to tell this year” said JBFC Director of Education Programs Emily Keating. “This transformational experience provides the youth with essential 21st century digital literacy skills and gives them a powerful means of expression.”
The Jacob Burns Film Center is a nonprofit cultural arts organization dedicated to presenting the best of independent, documentary, and world cinema; promoting 21st century literacy; and making film a vibrant part of the community. Located on a 47,500 sq. foot, three-building campus in the center of Pleasantville, the JBFC is just 30 miles outside of New York City. Since the opening in 2001, over 1,000,000 people have seen over 4,500 films from more than 40 countries. The campus includes the 27,000 sq. foot Media Arts Lab, the JBFC’s state-of-the-art education center, a creative and educational community for storytellers in the digital age, offering one-time workshops, intensive courses, and weekend programs for children and adults of all ages. To learn more about the Jacob Burns Film Center and Media Arts Lab, visit burnsfilmcenter.org.
