In the Pleasantville of my youth, there was no Dunkin' Donuts and no 7-Eleven. The closest 24-hour store was a 20-minute drive away. Jean Jacques' was an Italian restaurant named Vinnys. And the Jacob Burns Film Center was a dingy, ramshackle movie theater known as the Rome.

As a teenager growing up in the neighboring town of Mt. Pleasant, the Rome Theater was the closest thing to civilization this side of Westchester. In the '70s, it was the site of some of my most memorable film-going experiences. It was there I saw The Exorcist and Saturday Night Fever. It was also the location of a few first dates. But when the Rome closed in 1987, my friends and I were forced to get our film fiXes elsewhere. Long before the opening of the local multiplexes, that meant either driving north to Mt. Kisco or south to movie theaters in White Plains and Yonkers. Many times, out of boredom and frustration, I ventured even farther, into New York City, where places like the Angelika and Film Forum played the little-known independent films I had come to crave.

When the Jacob Bums Film Center (JBFC) opened in June 2001, I felt as if my prayers had been answered. But my first visit there seemed a bit surreal. I don't remember what film I saw or where I sat. But I remember feeling that the Bums was a bit out of place in Pleasantville. The new state-of-the:.art theater, while beautiful to look at, didn't resemble the old Rome at all. Apart from a few original bricks, everything had changed. Everything from its elegant interior to the all-black uniform of its employees seemed straight out of a New York City neighborhood. But I quickly realized that this was one of the keys to its success...a success that was destined to happen.

It all started when a little-known group called The Friends of the Rome Theater purchased the old property at 364 Manville Road. From there, a quick yet well thought-out plan of action would transform the debilitated theater into a cultural landmark, named after a local business man with a passion for the arts (see box), in just a few years' time. The story is almost legendary in nature-the story of the little theater that could.

At the center of this extraordinary tale is Stephen Apkon, a former investment banker responsible for bringing the concept of the ]BFC to life. When Apkon opened the center in 2001 he had a staff of four full-time employees and one part-time worker. His goal for that first year was 450 members. Six months later, the ]BFC had nearly 5,000 members. Today, with close to 30 staff members and a handful of part-timers, Apkon said that number is over 6,000.

"The Burns has by far exceeded my expectations, and I think anyone else's," Apkon admitted. "I think a lot of what we've created is a community center...We're building this community through shared cultural experience."

That cultural experience is a byproduct of JBFC's unique recipe for success. Take a pinch of New York's Lincoln Film Center, mix it into a cozy suburban town, stir in some famous Hollywood actors and filmmakers, add a generous dose of tax-deductible donations and voila! -- you've created a masterpiece.

In 1999, Apkon formed an alliance with the film society of Lincoln Center. According to Lois Dino, the JBFC associate director of programming, the Bums and Lincoln Center are partners and collaborators in programming cinema from around the world. "I think our luck and our unusual combination of people are what make the JBFC special," said New York Times critic and Pleasantville native Janet Maslin. "Our staff is enormously talented, hard-working and nice; they are very excited by what they do. And the Lincoln Center connection has been an extraordinary asset."

Maslin, JBFC's newly elected president of the board, is a permanent fixture in center's programming schedule and she moonlights as a moderator at ]BFC's special events. These weekly gatherings, offered to members and non-members alike, attract well-known film scholars, critics, filmmakers and other artists to JBFC, where they have the opportunity to view and discuss their work with a live audience. But special events like these are only a small piece of the JBFC pie.

The Greatest Movie Theater in the World

Linked to a well-crafted web of film programming, community tie-ins and educational workshops, JBFC's attractions appeal to patrons of all ages. From the sold-out success of The Journal News Film Club and celebrity guest speakers to monthly film series and groundbreaking children's programs, the ]BFC has carved a unique niche in the suburban landscape-one that makes it a welcome and valuable neighbor to residents of Chappaqua and beyond.

"I think the Burns is better than any theater in New York City," said Chappaqua-based real estate developer, Kevin Shaw. "It's so easy. It's so close. It fills an incredible void. And it adds to the quality of life in Westchester."

"I call it the greatest movie theater in the world," Shaw declared. "It's so unpretentious, that's what I love about it. It's like our little gem...and I don't want anyone else to know about it. In fact, tlle fewer people who know about it, the better."

It might be too late for that. JBFC's unique programming, combined with its popular educational programs, has already attracted national attention. And its members aren't just from the neighboring town of New Castle, either. According to JBFC public relations representative Dotty Battel, the Bums boasts members not just from Westchester and surrounding areas. Some members come from Manhattan-others travel even farther.

Members from Afar

"We have a member from Italy and one from Florida; they both joined for certain events," Battel revealed. "The first year Stephen King was here, we had a couple fly over from England. People come from all over."

The reason, Battel said, is a simple case of supply and demand.

"Sometimes you have to be a member to get into certain events," she explained, "Tickets sellout quickly and members get priority purchase."

One of ]BFC's most famous members is former President Bill Clinton, Apkon said. Clinton is there all the time with Hillary and Chelsea. Local celebrities like Debra Winger and Vanessa Williams also visit the Film Center with their families. For Apkon, it's all part of the fun.

"One of the best things about this place is that you never know who's going to walk in.." Apkon said. "There are filmmakers pere all the time. You never know who you are sitting next to."

JBFC's Film Advisory Committee reads like a "Who's Who" of Hollywood royalty, with Glenn Close, Richard Gere and Martin Scorcese heading the list. But the real stars of the JBFC are its innovative films and programs. Sabine Probst, an art director at neighboring Reader's. Digest, echoed the sentiments of many JBFC fans.

"The Bums has a great selection of alternative movies," Probst said. "It's a big improvement to the local culture scene. Now I don't have to go to Manhattan any longer to see a good film."

Consider a typical month of programming at the JBFC. Back in March, for example, the center hosted over a dozen guest speakers, and roughly half a dozen film series and special programs, giving viewers more than 30 different films to choose from.

One of those series, Great Pianists of the Twentieth Century, was a hit from the start. According to JBFC Membership Director Elizabeth Garrigue, this is not unusual.

"The first film of that series sold out completely; that was exciting," recalled Garrigue, a Chappaqua resident. "What was also exciting was that a lot of the people coming in were new to the ]BFC. That happens all the time. We keep pulling in more new people... They just come and love the place. They want to be a part of it."

Businesses Hop on Board the Burns Bandwagon

What is it about the JBFC that keeps people coming...and coming back for more? Is it the ever-changing movie selections? The comfy, velvet seats? The star-studded guest list? The popcorn? Or the slew of new eateries that surround it?

Since JBFC's grand opening in June 2001, at least six new businesses have popped up in the town of Pleasantville, and several more are on the way. Many of these new business owners are as excited about the JBFC as they are about their own companies. That's because they're making lots of strategic business decisions with the new film center in mind.

The Keeping Room, a home furnishings store on Washington Avenue, opened in August 2001, just two months after the JBFC. According to owner Jeff Lupica, the timing was purely "coincidental," Yet he is the first to admit that the JBFC factored into his business plan. At Jean Jacques' on neighboring Bedford Road, Jeannette Gabrillargues also uses the word "coincidental" to describe her store's relation to the JBFC, but she has capitalized on their success as well. On Saturday nights, Jean Jacques' offers patrons a free drink when they present a JBFC movie stub. Jean Jacques' is also part of the JBFC's Reel Values program, which offers member discounts at more than a dozen area stores and restaurants.

Ground-breaking Educational Programming

At Fanda's Pop Shop in Pleasantville, discounts are only part of the picture. Owner Fanda Nikic, who has big plans for her small, retro-styled ice cream and candy store will be donating Pop Shop gift certificates to the students of Cinemania, one of the JBFC's educational programs. "Kids love that program," said Nikic. "A lot of kids talk to me about it."

Cinemania, an after-school film club for seventh and eighth graders, is one of three educational programs designed and implemented by the JBFC. The programs, which in 2001 started out in just a handful of neighboring schools, are now offered in 17 school districts throughout Westchester County, including Chappaqua.

Like their eclectic mix of film series and programs, JBFC's educational programs appeal to a wide range of audiences. In addition to the middle school-based Cinemania, there is See · Hear · Feel · Film, a program that teaches third graders how to create original stories by watching movies, and Animation: Minds in Motion!, a classroom-based program that gives fourth graders the opportunity to create, direct and film their own animated shorts.

Of all these programs, See. Hear. Feel. Film is the most extensive, with about 2,000 students from 100 different third grade classes participating annually. Based around visits to the ]BFC, See. Hear. Feel. Film features an entire curriculum for classroom activities, including pre- and post-visit exercises that teachers can utilize in their own classrooms. The program has proven so popular, it's being piloted in Ohio. And if it does well there, it may go national.

The Next Great Adventure

"We've been asked by people all over the country to replicate the film center and we really have no interest in doing that," said Apkon. "However the education piece is something we are very interested in replicating. We are also exploring the creation of a media lab and education center to teach filmmaking to kids and adults."

Yes, you heard right. The JBFC will soon be adding another dimension to its growing domain. Apkon is planning to buy another piece of Pleasantville real estate-the old Higham Press building at Manville and Grant-and if all goes well, the former print shop will be transformed into another successful venue: a 15,000 square-foot film lab.

"I think it offers an opportunity to change many people's lives," Apkon said of his latest project. "It's our next great adventure."

Film buff MAGDALIN LEONARDO is a writer and teacher living in Briarcliff.

The Burns Buzz What some people are saying about the Jacob Burns Film Center . . .
"It's like going to see Bruce Springstein... you have to come the night before for a good seat." --Overheard in line by a member of The Journal News Film Club "...a real jewel, one of the treasures of living here." --Former President Bill Clinton, as quoted in The New York Times "The Rome Theater was a real community fixture, and it's lovely to have the Burns bring that back	in this new incarnation. It's a great community asset...a great regional asset." --Gray Williams, Chair Interiors Committee, New Castle Historical Society, Chappaqua "The JBFC has had a major positive impact on the central business district. There are a lot more people coming to the village. It's become a destination...a very welcome addition." --Pleasantville Mayor Bernard Gordon	"Since the opening of the JBFC, people seem to know more about the smaller, independent and foreign films." --John O'Driscoll, Plaza Video, Pleasantville "At a recent Board of Directors meeting, I asked everyone to think of It's a wonderful Life and think of where all of us, and the town of Pleasantville, would have been without Steve. He has truly changed all our lives." --Janet Maslin, New York Times Critic

From Rome to Burns, a timeline

Just who was Jacob Burns anyway?