Photographs by Lynda Shenkman for JBFC.
On Sept. 18, the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville held what was billed as a “film and community celebration.” Highlights of the evening included the presentation of the Vision Award to the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund); and the David Swope Leadership Award to Joseph P. Carlucci, a JBFC founding board member; a special tribute to Janet Maslin, a founder of JBFC and president of its board of directors; and performances from the cast of the new Broadway musical “How to Dance in Ohio.”
The Entertainment Community Fund received the Vision Award in recognition of its role in supporting a life in the arts. The fund, a national human services organization, addresses the unique needs of people who work in performing arts and entertainment with services focused on health and wellness, career and life and housing. President and CEO Joe Benincasa accepted the award on behalf of the Entertainment Community Fund from Dori Berinstein, a JBFC board member, Broadway producer and documentary filmmaker.
The evening’s special tribute to Maslin, a former film and literary critic for The New York Times, acknowledged her 22 years of welcoming hundreds of icons from the worlds of film, music, and literature to the JBFC. The audience in turn greeted her with a standing ovation.
A partner in the White Plains law firm of Cuddy & Feder LLP, Carlucci has also served the community through numerous nonprofits, including Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry and Westchester Community College in Valhalla.
The idea of service was punctuated by the cast of “How to Dance in Ohio” performing two numbers from the musical, which begins previews on Nov. 15. Based on the award-winning HBO documentary, the show follows seven young autistic adults preparing for a spring formal dance at a group counseling center in Columbus, Ohio – and the next phase of their lives.
For more, visit burnsfilmcenter.org.
