By Dan Murphy
The Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville is one of my favorite theaters. My wife and I enjoy dinner in the area and watching a movie in one of the Film Center’s small theaters.
But the recent turmoil concerning Jacob Burns is concerning to us. It revolves around a decision by the theater NOT to show a movie titled October 8, which highlights the rise of Anti-Semitism in America after the Attacks in Israel on October 7.
Several media reports claimed that the spokesperson for the Movie studio releasing the film said that the Burns Center “declined to screen the film.”
After an online petition circulated asking Burns to show the movie, and the Social Media outcry against their decision became louder, the Film Center posted,
“We’ve secured a special event screening of OCTOBER 8, featuring a moderated discussion with AJC, scheduled for later this spring, and are currently finalizing the details. We look forward to sharing more information with our community soon.”
Most of the community surrounding the film center appeared satisfied with their decision to show the movie.
But one alleged recent incident at the Film Center still has us concerned. The Daily Voice reported, “A woman who claimed that her Jewish parents were subjected to an antisemitic rant by a box office clerk at a New York film center has sparked a Facebook firestorm.
“In the comment section, one woman wrote that her parents were eager to attend the newly announced screening but were “told by the clerk that he would NEVER sell tickets to this movie” and that he “proceeded to call them killers and went on an antisemitic tirade.”
The film center responded directly to the comment on its Facebook page, writing: “We’re very sorry to hear about your family’s experience. Please know that we take your feedback seriously and are looking into the matter. Our goal is always to provide a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone in our community. Thank you for your patience. Tickets for this event will go on sale beginning Monday, March 31. We apologize again for this experience.”
We have contacted the family who experienced this anti-semitic rant in an attempt to identify the film center staff member in the hopes that they will be fired.
Congressman Mike Lawler commented on the film center’s original decision not to show the movie and questioned its decision to hire Eric Hynes as its Director of Film Curation and Programming.
Lawler’s press release states, “The decision is called even further into question given that the Jacob Burns Film Center has had no issue screening No Other Land, a pro-Palestinian documentary that has proved controversial.
“This comes on the heels of the Jacob Burns Film Center’s hiring of Eric Hynes as Director of Film Curation and Programming. Hynes holds incredibly anti-Israel views, having signed a petition saying Israel is committing genocide and calling for the release of all Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists. He also signed another petition asking for the US to cease providing military support to Israel and calling Israel’s actions “apartheid.”
“Hynes has tweeted that Israel is committing “genocide,” claimed Israel was using the Super Bowl as “cover” to engage in military operations in the Gaza strip and were guilty of “supervillainy,” and stated that Israel is “deliberately starving Palestinians.”
“In addition, Hynes also expressed support for the antisemitic protests on Columbia and CUNY’s campuses last spring, claiming they were “peaceful” – despite their seizing of buildings by force.”
Rep. Lawler said, “I am appalled that the Jacobs Burns Film Center did not engage in due diligence in their hiring process, choosing to hand over the reins of curation at their esteemed institution to someone with deeply radical and anti-Israel views. This is a complete slap in the face to the Jewish community in the Hudson Valley.”
We will visit Jacob Burns during Hudson Valley Restaurant to watch October 8.
