lina matta © Peter B. Moore

lina matta 

© Peter B. Moore

Lina Matta

Based in Dubai, this Lebanese/American considers New York City her adopted home. Prior to joining MBC as channel manager for four of their networks, Lina was head of programming at Dubai One TV.

A film fanatic, in her spare time Lina attends film festivals. If you’re looking for her you may find her eating a frozen dog in Park City, UT, grabbing a felafel sandwich in Toronto or chasing a food truck in Austin, TX. Lina holds an M.A. in Film from Boston University but her experience is much vaster: she’s been a news producer, a TV director, a field audio engineer, an original web content producer and she once worked closely with a Libyan revolutionary!

 
 
The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) began in 1998 when a group of individuals interested in creating a cultural arts center in Westchester County purchased the old Rome Theater in Pleasantville, New York. The Rome Theater, a beautiful Spanish mission-style, historic landmark building built in 1925, was one of the first movie theaters in Westchester County. Opened during the golden age of cinema, the New York Times called it “The Show Place of Westchester County.” It was an active cinema, showing films until 1987, when it closed its doors due to competition with neighboring multiplexes. The group, led by founder Stephen Apkon, secured the building and an adjacent lot, formed a nonprofit organization (originally known as The Friends of the Rome Theater), and launched a $5 million capital campaign to build the Film Center. Early on, the campaign received a $1.5 million grant from the Jacob Burns Foundation. The Film Center received its name in honor of this leadership gift.

Since the JBFC opened its doors to the public in June 2001, more than two million people have seen over 5,000 films from every corner of the globe. Over 65,000 students in grades 3-12 and in college have participated in our education programs, more than 50% of them from underserved communities throughout the tri-state area. Their participation, including transportation, is funded entirely by the Film Center, thanks in part to support from individuals, foundations and corporations.