Cinemania: Afterschool Film Club

By Sophie Cowley

Is there a rising film buff in your life? Do they spend countless hours watching movies? What if, instead of staying at home in front of the TV, they could enjoy excellent films in the company of other film aficionados? Enter Cinemania: the Jacob Burns’ after school film club tailored especially for adolescents.

Cinemania gives seventh and eight graders the chance to watch and talk about movies at the Jacob Burns Film Center, Westchester’s hub for all things cinematic. Your child’s palette for film will grow exponentially as we introduce them to films from around the world.

Cinemania students will learn how to analyze movies like a pro, participating in small and large group discussions and interacting with fellow film lovers from across the county. Students will also learn fun behind-the-scenes trivia all while enjoying free popcorn and a beverage of their choice!

Each film will be shown at the Media Arts Lab screening room, allowing students to watch the films in a private, comfortable setting. A few of the films on the slate for this upcoming semester include: Children Of Heaven, an Iranian film about sibling love in trying times; My Life As A Zucchini, a delightful stop-motion film from Hungary; and, of course, the series would not be complete without Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, Spirited Away!

The titles range from documentary to animation, and are sourced from as far away as Japan and Chile to right here in the U.S. We aim to show contemporary films, like My Life As A Zucchini, as well as classics, like Peter Bogdonovich’s Paper Moon and Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society. And each film features an adolescent protagonist!

Then, on December 20, the JBFC will host a recap party, during which students can show off their trivia knowledge for the chance to win a free DVD of any of the films from the semester! Register today to secure your spot for this fall!

Cinemania is offered on Wednesdays from 3:30-6:00 pm throughout the school year. The fall semester begins on September 27 and will run until December 20. For more information and to register for this fall, please visit the Cinemania course page.