The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) will screen the documentary Real Boy on Thursday, June 1 at 7 p.m. followed by a Q&A and community reception. The discussion will feature Jamie Bruesehoff whose first-born child transitioned at age 8 and became a national symbol of the transgender community, and Shepard Verbas a prominent spokesperson for trans rights. A reception will follow. The screening is part of the ongoing film series Community Matters: Local Issues, Discussion, Action, sponsored by Westchester Community Foundation, and presented with generous support from National Endowment for the Arts.
Real Boy is the intimate story of 19-year-old Bennett Wallace who is navigating early sobriety, late adolescence, and the evolution of his gender identity. At the same time, his mother is making her own transformation from resistance to acceptance of her trans son. Both find support in their communities, reminding us that families are not only given, but chosen.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the JBFC box office, which opens at noon on weekdays and 11:00 am on weekends.
About the Speakers
Jamie Bruesehoff is a writer, advocate, speaker, mom, and a pastor’s wife. Her first-born child transitioned at age 8 and became a national symbol for the transgender community.
Shepard Verbas is program manager at The LOFT Community Center in White Plains and was profiled in National Geographic’s January 2017 Gender issue. They earned a BS in Early Childhood/Special Education at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Shepard also works with LGBTQ youth as Program Specialist with the Center Lane and has many years of experience working with youth and adults in educational and therapeutic settings. In addition, they co-chaired GLSEN Hudson Valley’s LGBT youth outreach initiative, Shared Stories Open Minds, and was an active member of the chapter’s board.
Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Road, Pleasantville, NY 10570
Exit 30 Saw Mill River Parkway N/ Exit 29 Saw Mill River Parkway S or the Pleasantville stop on Metro-North Harlem Line
TICKETS
Tickets: $10 (members), $15 (nonmembers)
Tickets are available online at burnsfilmcenter.org or at the Box Office
Box office opens at noon on weekdays and 11:00 am on weekends
For information and group sales, call 914.773.7663, ext. 6
About Westchester Community Foundation
The Westchester Community Foundation connects generous people to the causes they care about and invests in transformative ideas and organizations to improve lives and strengthen our community. For 40 years, the Foundation has worked to improve the quality of life in Westchester by addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy, and connecting donors to critical, local needs, visit: www.wcf-ny.org.
About Jacob Burns Film Center
Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) is a nonprofit arts and education hub located on a three-building campus in the New York Metro area. The JBFC brings the transformative power of film to the surrounding community through unique programming and discussion, shared experiences, and educational initiatives. Since opening in 2001, over 3,000,000 people have enjoyed the best of current American and foreign cinema, unique film series, and special events at the five screen theater complex. A pioneer in visual literacy education, the Jacob Burns Film Center offers courses in filmmaking, screenwriting, and animation for students of all ages at our state-of-the-art Media Arts Lab and develops curriculums for public schools throughout the region.
