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Over the past two years a slice of Hollywood has existed in the town of Pleasantville.
Members of' Tinseltown's elite such as Martin Scorsese, George (looney, Ron Howard, I jam Neeson and Salma Hayek have screened their movies and discussed their latest works at the Jacob Burns Film Center, a nonprofit film center in the heart of this upscale suburb of Westchester.
On weekends, film buffs overflow the 18,500-square-foot film center to see independent and foreign films for which the center is known. Its two theaters and screening room are regularly packed with some of its 6,400 members, who include such local celebrities as the Clintons and singer Vanessa Williams.
"We're not trying to be New York City or Hollywood, we are not trying to be The Film Society of Lincoln Center," said Stephen Apkon. the center's executive director and founder. "We don't have the pretentiousness of other places. You have some or the greatest American actors come here, but it's still 250 people engaging in a great dialogue with the director."
Besides bringing independent films to a suburban audience, Jacob Bums is credited for revitalizing Pleasantville's downtown, being a leading contributor to Westchester's cultural scene, and serving as an educational facility for visual literacy.
The membership has grown so quickly that the center is now exploring new projects such as offering everything from film making to screen writing for young people through senior citizens.
JACOB BURNS' BRAINCHILD
Apkon is a former investment banker who traded in his high-flying career on Wall Street to...