Friends of Fort Lee Film, Inc.

Mission Statement

The Friends of the Barrymore Film Center (aka Friends of Fort Lee Film, Inc) is a 501c3 nonprofit established by the Borough of Fort Lee to raise funds for the programs and exhibits of the soon to be built Barrymore Film Center (BFC).  This 270-seat cinema and attached film museum is dedicated to the role Fort Lee, NJ played as birthplace of the American film industry and as the first American film town where such studios as Universal (1912) Fox (1915) and the first studio built and operated by a woman, Alice Guy Blache’ (Solax 1912) were established.  The BFC will be built by the Borough of Fort Lee and once built the BFC will be operated by the Borough’s Fort Lee Film Commission.  The center will be the location of major film retrospectives including an annual silent film program, film festivals, screenings of foreign films and works of emerging filmmakers as well as exhibits centering not only on Fort Lee film history but world cinema history.

Our mission is:

To raise funds from donors to facilitate multicultural film and educational programs, exhibits and youth filmmaking projects that reflect the diversity of Fort Lee and our region; to make those in the world cinema community aware of Fort Lee’s role as a pioneer film town; and to attract business to the Main Street area via programs and film screenings at the BFC. The Friends of the Barrymore Film Center believe the BFC as fully operated will be an economic engine for the Main Street area and benefit the restaurant and business community.

The BFC will establish strategic partnerships with internationally recognized film centers from around the world.

For more information on the Friends of Fort Lee Film, Inc and the Barrymore Film Center, please visit https://www.barrymorefilmcenter.com/.