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Jacob Burns Film Center

Four Winters Shines a Light on the Bravery of World War II Survivors Among the 25,000 Jewish Partisans

January 23, 2023 by Grace Bennett

Can you imagine climbing through an unlikely opening and hurling yourself off a speeding train (while your beloved family members huddle together, terrified and exhausted) to take your chances at surviving so that you can escape arrival of almost certain murder at the death factory, Treblinka?

Or of attempting to convince others to take that chance with you? So that you can both LIVE and one day tell the story? To tell what happened–a reason to live that Holocaust survivors collectively have shared in many documentaries.

To jumping anyway when others would not or could not?

In Julie Mintz’s riveting and inspiring documentary Four Winters, we learn of such unimaginable circumstances and also mind bogglingly courageous acts of Jewish resistance through the testimony of eight  survivors who were members of the estimated 25,000 Jewish Partisans in the forests of World War II Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and the Ukraine. In Mintz’s discussion following the movie with Bruni Burres, the curator of the Jacob Burns Film Center Jewish Film Festival, we learn that only one of the survivors Mintz worked with to tell their stories and produce this film as authentically as possible, is still with us today for the film’s release. A takeaway reminder to me that the survivors are leaving us. A reminder that so are their stories. So we must honor them. And this film, honors them immensely.

Documentarian Julie Mintz discussing Four Winters with Bruni Burres, curator for the Burns Center Jewish Film Festival.

If I may go on. I also don’t consider these spoilers as you MUST see this wonderful documentary to understand its edge of your seat quality, and my own words aside, you MUST hear the stories from the survivors themselves to truly digest the Jewish Partisans story and the Four Winters theme of perseverance.

Can you imagine walking for miles in a weakened state in an expansive, eerie forest in the cold and the snow, with only the glowing eyes of wolves in the distance to guide you, without survival gear or survival skills per se, at different junctures being hunted down like animals for slaughter by the sick Nazi regime and its unholy web of spies and collaborators?

It was a story I was startled and almost embarrassed to have never heard before, or have heard about in snips and pieces, as more folklore. The survivor witnesses in Four Winters weave a tapestry of this most remarkable aspect of Holocaust survival, of Jewish survival. Julie Mintz has lovingly, painstakingly helped each of these dear souls revisit and recall details of those horrific times, so that the story, each story, the collective story, can be released into the world, and so that these survivors can be celebrated and embraced not for what they survived, but for their courage, for the lives they helped save, for whatever evil they conquered or thwarted too against all odds.

None of us really could imagine, and no doubt the survivors who describe their experiences never could have either preceding the horrific genocide that ensued. Or how they eventually banded together in groups and underground, camouflaged bunkers to form true fighting units sabotaging and killing Nazis at assorted opportunities, and surviving against all odds over four endless, brutal winters, often starving, often not knowing what day it was, or what the future held. Early in the film: footage of their happy and productive lives, vacationing in pre-Nazi invasion Poland.

As we approach International Holocaust Remembrance Day tomorrow, I am grateful I had the opportunity to watch the pre-screening of Four Winters yesterday. As the subject matter never stops hitting too close to home (I am a child of Holocaust survivors; most of my family perished), the usual trepidation I feel watching the footage of crimes perpetrated against humanity by the Nazis never goes away. But this story was incredibly uplifting in that we much more rarely hear about the resistance efforts to the Nazi evil. The Jewish partisans collaborated with Polish and Russian partisan units in the forests too. I am eternally grateful to every astoundingly brave and moral person of every religion and race who courageously resisted and fought the seemingly endless atrocities to save innocent lives at grave risk to their own. I’m in awe of the courage it took to save themselves. I’m eternally heartened to learn and proud to know that included a sizeable number of Jewish persons, too.

 

Filed Under: New Castle News Tagged With: Four Winters, Holocaust survivors, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jacob Burns Film Center, Jewish partisans, Julie Mintz

So Much that’s Amazing

August 25, 2022 by Grace Bennett

As we head into ‘back to school/fabulous fall’, I’ve compiled a 10-point snapshot of so much that’s AMAZING and crazy fun ‘round here. See if you agree. Warning: this ‘quickie’ list is by no means ‘complete’. Let me know what ‘should’ have been on here or might make the cut next time: grace@insidepress.com That said, here goes (more on some of these ‘inside’):

1. The Jacob Burns Film Center, now celebrating 20, may just be everyone’s favorite theatre/cultural center, mine included.  October brings us the ever popular Jewish Film Festival and more than 20 movies to choose from!

2. The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, in its 9th year, draws a gazillion residents & visitors to town to meet favorite childhood authors and discover new ones. Surprises, galore and memories waiting to be made on October 15.

3. The Armonk Outdoor Art Show, turning 60!, boasts phenomenal artists’ exhibits with such creative family fun activities. Save the dates: October 1 & 2.

4. Neighborhood Theme Days. Whether it’s Community Day (9/17) in Chappaqua or a Block Party (10/1) in Pleasantville, gotta love days that encourage us to mingle with neighbors, embrace where we live AND to #ShopLocal.

5. Arts Splendor Close to Home. I love keeping up with the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Arc Stages and Armonk Players. This fall, I plan on taking in one of the spectacular shows lined up at the Phoenix Festival: Live Arts in Nyack. And after a summer of enjoying glorious Caramoor productions in Katonah, I’m staying tuned into what they’re planning next.

6. Metro North to New York City. The Big Apple will always beckon. Broadway! Lincoln Center! Central Park! My son! And, don’t get me started on all the boro gems.

7. Charitable Westchester. Way too much to report for this short space, but for a pull my heartstrings fix, I’m psyched for a tour of the 914 Cares facility soon. Stay tuned to learn about the essentials they distribute to those in need.

8. The Music Scene is back with a vengeance after a Covid pause so if you haven’t visited your favorite musician/band of late, well, please do! Karaoke lovers, take note too. Bring a wipe and grab a mic. Chamber and orchestra music lovers have it MADE with the 914 Orchestra and Friends of Music concert offerings.

9. Dining Meccas. Some new ones on the scene will leave you hungry for more.

10. Nature! Parks, hiking trails, bodies of water. We’ve reported on them all, or nearly all. So much makes the county home, sweet home.

Filed Under: Just Between Us Tagged With: 914 Cares, Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, Jacob Burns Film Center, Live Arts in Nyack

Have you Heard? The BURNS is 20!

August 25, 2022 by The Inside Press

Editor’s Note: An ongoing ‘Celebrating 20 Years Together’ at the Jacob Burns Film Center features a local favorite of many, including moi, the Jewish Film Festival. A peek into its screenings and more of what the remarkable staff of the Burns say theater goers can look forward to at their favorite Westchester destination theater, next door. Do consider a membership to help support programming at the Burns Center. – Grace Bennett

This year’s Jewish Film Festival will feature over 20 films, several with Q&As, and even a Film to Table program boasting a tasting menu inspired by Israeli television series The Chef. Opening night kicks off with Karaoke, a charming dramedy filled with suburban ennui, and the series continues with heartwarming flicks like iMordecai – starring Judd Hirsch and Carol Kane ‐ as well as More Than I Deserve, a poignant coming-of-age story. With lighthearted fare such as “Fellini-esque gangster comedy of Jewish despair” The Plot Against Harry, plus documentaries covering everything from the little-known history of the Wild West’s Jewish cowboys to breaking the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s glass ceiling, this year’s festival truly has something for everyone.

Two of the filmmakers featured in this year’s festival are Westchester natives! Most notably, Ethan Fuirst is a former employee of the Jacob Burns Film Center! Originally hailing from Chappaqua, Ethan worked at the JBFC Theater’s box office as a teen. His short film The Victorias, which made the rounds on the festival circuit before being selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick, will screen as part of JFF. Filmmaker Sophie Parens is also a local, originally hailing from Sleepy Hollow!

More about the Film Shorts

The Victorias


At NYC’s Tenement Museum, a diverse group of costumed interpreters took turns performing as 14-year-old Sephardic immigrant Victoria Confino in 1916. After being laid off during the pandemic, the “Vickies” reflect on the experience of telling another’s story. Filmmaker Ethan Fuirst’s quirky short packs a surprising emotional punch.

2022. 15 m. Ethan Fuirst. US. English. NR.

Zaida

Sophie Parens tells the story of her grandfather Henri Parens, who escaped the Holocaust at the age of 12 and went on to become a globally recognized psychoanalyst dedicated to the prevention of prejudice. Sophie was moved to make this film in the wake of the 2017 Charlottesville riot.

2020. 32 m. Sophie Parens. US. English. NR.

On October 11 at 6:30 p.m., you can also join a Q&A with filmmakers Sophie Parens and Ethan Fuirst with festival curator Bruni Burres, followed by a reception in the Jane Peck Gallery.

100 Years of Nosferatu

Additionally, this year marks the 100th anniversary of Nosferatu! Nosferatu will screen October 25, 7 p.m., with live musical accompaniment from Ben Model.

An unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Nosferatu is the quintessential silent vampire film, crafted by legendary German director F. W. Murnau (Sunrise, Faust, The Last Laugh). Rather than depicting Dracula as a shape-shifting monster or debonair gentleman, Murnau’s Graf Orlok (as portrayed by Max Schreck) is a nightmarish, spidery creature of bulbous head and taloned
claws–perhaps the most genuinely disturbing incarnation of vampirism yet envisioned. Nosferatu was an atypical expressionist film in that much of it was shot on location. While directors such as Lang and Lubitsch built vast forests and entire towns within the studio, Nosferatu’s landscapes, villages and castle were actual locations in the Carpathian mountains. Murnau was thus able to infuse the story with the subtle tones of nature: both pure and fresh as well as twisted and sinister.

To confirm dates and times, and to follow all that’s happening at the Burns, please visit burnsfilmcenter.org

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Celebrating 20 Years Together, Jacob Burns Film Center, Jewish Film Festival

Four Premier Regional Arts Organizations Join Together to Offer the HUDSON VALLEY SUMMER ARTS PASS

May 19, 2022 by InsidePress

The Jacob Burns Film Center, Historic Hudson Valley, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival have joined together to announce an exciting new initiative: the Hudson Valley Summer Arts Pass.

The Hudson Valley Summer Arts Pass is a discounted bundle of tickets to the season’s top events. With an abundance of offerings across the four partner organizations, the Pass helps consumers plan a vibrant and diversified season of arts and culture – all within a short drive! The Pass costs $148, but is valued at over $320, and a link to buy the Pass can be found on each of the participating organizations’ websites through June 20, 2022.

You can check it out HERE!.

Le Jardin du Roi 202205
ADVERTISEMENT

Offers include:

Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville

You’ll receive four tickets (plus two coupons for free popcorn and soda) to any regular* screening. With a diverse slate of films carefully curated by our talented programming team, you’re sure to have an outstanding experience at our state-of-the-art theater. Stop by to get a taste of all we offer – from buzzworthy new releases and award-winning foreign films to eye-opening documentaries!

Your tickets and coupons will be mailed within 10 days of purchase. *Special events are not included in the offer. Promotion expires 8/31/22. Questions? Contact us at support@burnsfilmcenter.org or 914.773.7663, ext. 6.

Historic Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow Country

This summer, enjoy spectacular treasures of the Hudson Valley with two tickets for tours of three National Historic Landmarks. See Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, the charming riverside home of the Father of American Literature; gaze in wonder at stained glass windows by master artists Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall at Union Church of Pocantico Hills; and be transported to the 1750s during a tour of Philipsburg Manor.

Two tickets for each historic site tour can be reserved on hudsonvalley.org within 48 hours after purchase of the Hudson Valley Summer Arts Pass. Promotion expires 9/11/22. Not valid for tours of Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, or any special events. Learn more at hudsonvalley.org. Questions? Contact us at info@hudsonvalley.org or by calling 914.366.6900.

Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Katonah

Caramoor’s 2022 Summer Season is one of our most dynamic to date! Featuring top artists and ensembles spanning genres of classical, American roots, jazz, global, Broadway, and opera, Caramoor has something for everyone! Select two tickets to a concert of your choice (an $80+ value) and join us for world-class music in one of our open-air venues.

Your tickets will be emailed to you within one week of your performance. Some exclusions apply. Promotion expires 8/19/22, and is only valid for events in Caramoor’s summer season. Learn more at caramoor.org/upcoming-events/summer-caramoor-ticket-packages. Questions? Contact us at boxoffice@caramoor.org or by calling 914.232.1252.

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Garrison

HVSF is bringing you a summer of storytelling, the first in our first-ever permanent home. The 2022 season includes a reimagined Shakespearean classic, a thrilling and timely contemporary American play, and an intimate and thought-provoking solo piece. Select two tickets to a weekday performance of your choice and come revel in the joy and magic of live theater.

Your tickets will be emailed to you within one week of your performance. Some exclusions apply. Promotion expires 9/18/22. Learn more at https://hvshakespeare.org/tickets-events/discounts-offers/. Questions? Contact us at boxoffice@hvshakespeare.org or 845-265-9575.


In addition to helping audiences navigate the vast summer offerings, the four organizations joined together to play an active role in rebuilding the profile of the arts in the region.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, arts presenters experienced some of the steepest economic declines, and while the world retreated into social distancing, NEA data reported that the arts shrank at nearly twice the rate of the economy as a whole. Yet throughout this downturn, the power of the arts – including both its economic and humanitarian value – burned even brighter as audiences and presenters yearned to return to live events.

Caramoor President and CEO, Edward Lewis, III, comments: “Music has the unique ability of uniting people across geography, through history, and from all lived experiences. During tumultuous times, the arts have long been a mode of healing, coping, and overcoming adversity. At Caramoor, we recognize and embrace the unique responsibility we have as arts presenters, and with our fellow participants, we create a welcoming and safe cultural community.”

“Our audiences need the arts more than ever, and the Hudson Valley Summer Arts Pass provides the opportunity for visitors to experience the richness of the region’s offerings,” said Historic Hudson Valley’s Vice President of Communications & Commerce, Rob Schweitzer. “We’re thrilled to offer this pass and to partner with the region’s top cultural organizations to provide even more ways for people to get out and explore the area this season.”

“We’re all excited to collaborate with other arts and culture nonprofits to highlight the diverse, vibrant cultural offerings within the Hudson Valley,” said JBFC Executive Director Mary Jo Ziesel. “We hope to encourage people to get out and try something new this summer. This discounted pass is the perfect entrée to enjoy the arts nearby.”

Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Managing Director, Kate Liberman, comments: “HVSF is honored to be participating in this amazing program, which shows the impact of real collaboration among our regional arts institutions. Bringing our audiences together will be essential as the arts and culture sector recovers from the pandemic. As HVSF transitions to our new home this season, we cannot wait to celebrate our shared humanity by welcoming new friends under our theater tent.”

 

Hudson Valley Arts Pass News Courtesy of Caramoor Center for Music & the Arts

Filed Under: Cover Stories, Gotta Have Arts Tagged With: Caramoor, Hudson Valley, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Valley Summer Arts Pass, Jacob Burns Film Center

Getting to Know… Mary Jo Ziesel, New Executive Director of the Jacob Burns Film Center

February 24, 2022 by Christine Pasqueralle

Photo by Donna Mueller

“Wouldn’t this be an amazing place to work one day?” That’s what Mary Jo Ziesel said to her partner Dr. Hank Spinelli after the two took in screenings of Pavarotti and Parasite at the Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) in 2019. Just two years later, Ziesel would be named the Executive Director of the JBFC. Since taking on the role in September 2021, Ziesel has been hard at work implementing programs and keeping up the JBFC’s excellent reputation as an important cultural institution in the local community and beyond.

Before joining the JBFC, Ziesel held over two decades of leadership at American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Among her many accomplishments were the development of a $7M center of innovation, serving more than 20,000 students, summer intensive programs, the ABT National Training Curriculum, the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and William J. Gillespie Schools and a national network of ABT Certified Schools. During the pandemic, Ziesel pivoted programming online, reaching thousands of students and teachers in 49 states and 46 countries. She was instrumental in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at ABT. 

Speaking with Ziesel, one gets a sense of her excitement for creating new ideas for the JBFC and the joy she has in working with the staff, board, members, and community. “I am thrilled to be here. When I first discovered it, the theater staff was so enchanting, knowledgeable and professional. They are so well trained with providing an incredible experience.” Ziesel has been hard at work learning the intricacies of the JBFC organization and engaging with the community at large as the theater celebrates its 20th anniversary.

photos by donna mueller

“One thing I’ve learned in arts administration is if you have great art, where there is rigor, commitment, focus and resiliency, if you have all those elements, it transfers everywhereand anything can happen.” says Ziesel. From her first day on September 7th, Ziesel has felt the magic and excitement that happens at the JBFC. “Everyone is so excited that people are coming back to the theater–it’s what we do and what we believe in. The energy in the theater is palpable–you know you’re experiencing a special moment in time.” The JBFC prides itself on showing 400 films a year and presentingupwards of 150 events–which means there’s never a real down time. “You can come to the theater every day and see something different. What strikes me as different than the performing arts, you typically have a season and relax once it’s over. But here what’s so great, one of the magical things of why employees are so excited and committed to being here, the film programming is changing every week, it’s always new and engaging.”

One of the JBFC’s programs for emerging artists is the Creative Culture program which champions diverse voices and helps to foster a thriving artistic community from all over the world. The Fellowship Program provides a 10-month-long experience for emerging filmmakers to produce two short film projects within a collaborative community.

“We’re bringing in a new cohort of talented emerging filmmakers; it’s a very competitive process for fellows each semester. Sean Weiner, the Director of Creative Culture, has created a safe collaborative environment for the artists, who are mostly in their early to mid-20’s. I’ve been so moved by the robust and all-encompassing services the Burns provides. The stories the filmmakers are telling are deeply personal and to have the maturity to tell a story and be that vulnerable is quite something at that age. The JBFC is providing a platform for voices and stories that might not otherwise be heard.”

“The other piece is our artist-in-residency program which provides filmmakers from all over the world a space where they can come and work on their feature films. They have access to all resources in the building. They’re like kids in a candy store – they can use all the elements and are provided a space to really focus on their work – an incredible gift to be able to do so.”

At the Burns, from left: Kendra Ekelund, General Manager; Selena Beaumont, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director; Mary Jo Ziesel, Executive Director; and Sean Weiner, Director of Programs, Media Arts Lab.

As the year goes on and the 20th anniversary continues, Ziesel is looking forward to many upcoming programs including bringing back the popular Focus on Nature series as well as the opening of the much-anticipated Downton Abbey: A New Era film coming out in March. Ziesel is also excited about the return of in-person camps as well as JBFC Kids, a program geared towards younger kids and their families, which offers both film screenings and hands-on media-making experiences. She anticipates some fun events at the Media Arts Lab including engaging activities for families to experience media and film viewing. 

The curated film series will be back as well including Remix: The Black Experience in Film, Media and Art, The World Stage on Screen–the best of international theatre on screen–and Global Watch, a series of social action documentaries. She also hints at some upcoming special guests to the JBFC. “One thing I’ve learned very quickly is you may plan for guests a few months out, the pace is very quick for when people are available. Often, we get a very last-minute exciting guest to come visit. Patrons appreciate the excitement of not knowing but trusting it will be something good.”

There will also be plenty of opportunities to take in some of the JBFC’s virtual programming. There is an upcoming Romanian film series as well as the Jewish Film Festival. The JBFC continues to do virtual programming in schools as well as professional development for teachers. “We can reach teachers nationally and internationallwe’re embracing the lasting presence of digital and what it can do to reach new audiences. We reach about 16,000 students each year and are very excited to bring back the virtual Classroom to Screening Room.”

Patrons are embracing the “new normal” in-person theatrical experience as well. “Patrons are excited to be back in the space and appreciate our vaccination requirements and mask policies. It’s park of getting the movie-going experience back into your life. Once the seal is broken and you’re back, it’s like saying ‘I remember this and loved and missed it’. We’ve all been shut indoors. Streaming in our pj’s is one thing, but coming to experience film in a shared environment with an audience is something people are excited about.” As always, one of the most important things is the relationships with the patrons as well as the staff and the board. “The staff is just incredibly talented and it’s inspiring to work with them. It’s awe-inspiring to see what Steve Apkon (JBFC Founder and Pleasantville resident) originally created here and how the community and town can be transformed. Together, we will continue to entertain, educate, and inspire people of all ages through the amazing power of film.”

Filed Under: Cover Stories, Pleasantville Cover Stories Tagged With: Burns Center, Jacob Burns Film Center, Mary Jo Ziesel

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