The IFC Center Celebrates 20 Years

Summary

All Of It Podcast Summary: The IFC Center Celebrates 20 Years

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Producer: WNYC
• Description: ALL OF IT is a show about culture and its consumers, aiming to engage thinkers, doers, makers, and creators in discussions about the what and why of their work. The show celebrates the diversity and varied perspectives that enrich New York City’s cultural landscape.

Episode Information:

• Episode Title: The IFC Center Celebrates 20 Years
• Release Date: June 17, 2025
• Air Time: Weekdays from 12:00 - 2:00 PM on WNYC

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Introduction and Anniversary Context

Alison Stewart opens the episode by acknowledging the 20th anniversary of the IFC Center, located on 6th Avenue in the space formerly occupied by the Waverly Theater. The IFC Center has been a cornerstone for independent and international cinema in New York City, renowned for showcasing films that often don’t receive wide screenings elsewhere. Notably, the center is celebrated for its long-running midnight movie series and the inception of the DOC NYC Film Festival in 2010, now the largest documentary film festival in the United States.

Alison Stewart:
“On this day 20 years ago, the IFC center opened on 6th Avenue in the space that once held the Waverly Theater.” [00:46]

IFC Center's Mission and Evolution

Joining Alison is Harris Dew, the general manager of the IFC Center, who has been with the organization since 2005. Harris delves into the original mission of the IFC Center, emphasizing its dedication to celebrating and bringing exceptional cinema to New Yorkers. He highlights the center's role in introducing audiences to films that might otherwise remain unseen.

Harris Dew:
“I think the original mission was just to celebrate cinema and to bring great cinema to New Yorkers.” [02:13]

Harris shares his personal inspiration for working at the IFC Center, stemming from his college film club days and his passion for connecting people with meaningful cinematic experiences.

Harris Dew:
“I started running a Film club in college and kind of got the bug that way and just like to put on a show for people.” [02:34]

Audience Engagement and Memories

Alison encourages listeners to share their memories of the IFC Center, inviting them to call in with stories of discovering new films or experiencing unforgettable screenings. Throughout the episode, several callers share their heartfelt experiences, illustrating the center's profound impact on its audience.

Caller Paul Adams from East Village:
“I saw Sabbath Queen at the IFC center, and it's about my rabbi, Amitai Laulavi... it's a powerful film.” [07:17]

Caller Antonio from the Bronx:
“I saw Dolores Huerta at the IFC center and even met her. It was a very meaningful experience.” [08:12]

These testimonials underscore the IFC Center's role in fostering a community where cinema serves as a bridge between filmmakers and diverse audiences.

Streaming and Adaptation

A significant portion of the conversation addresses the impact of streaming services on traditional cinema venues. Harris acknowledges the challenges but remains optimistic about the IFC Center’s ability to thrive as a destination for film enthusiasts.

Harris Dew:
“We're a destination. If you want to go out, you're going to want to go out.” [09:22]

He draws parallels between the current streaming revolution and past technological disruptions, emphasizing that the unique experience of watching films in a communal setting remains irreplaceable.

Special Screenings and Events

In celebration of the 20th anniversary, the IFC Center has planned several special screenings and events. Harris highlights the significance of re-screening the inaugural films and hosting directors to provide audiences with deeper insights into their work.

Harris Dew:
“We're showing the four films that we opened the Theater with... and Maniac, which was our first midnight movie.” [14:42]

Notable screenings include:

• Maniac: The first midnight movie, showcasing New York-based horror films and cult classics.
• La Chimera: An Italian film that enjoyed a six-month run.
• Boyhood: Celebrated for its unique 12-year shooting period, which was exhibited for nearly nine months.

These selections not only honor the center’s history but also demonstrate its commitment to diverse and enduring cinematic experiences.

Community Interaction and Testimonials

Throughout the episode, Alison and Harris engage with listeners, sharing and reacting to their memories and experiences. This interactive segment highlights the personal connections and lasting impressions the IFC Center has made on its patrons.

Caller Brian from Brooklyn:
“I saw 'You, Me, and Everyone We Know' 20 years ago and recently watched another beautiful film like 'Young at Heart' thanks to the IFC.” [17:24]

These interactions reinforce the center’s role as a cultural hub where New Yorkers continually find new and meaningful cinematic experiences.

Future Plans and Hopes

Looking ahead, Harris shares his aspirations for the IFC Center's future. He expresses a desire to continue the center’s legacy by maintaining its role as a beacon for independent and groundbreaking films. Upcoming initiatives include the "20 Films for 20 Years" program, which will showcase a different film each year of the center’s existence.

Harris Dew:
“Our hopes for the next 20 years are to keep going and continue making the city a more exciting place to be.” [19:09]

He underscores the importance of community appreciation and support in sustaining the center’s operations and cultural contributions.

Marquee and Nostalgia

A charming segment of the conversation details the iconic marquee of the IFC Center. Harris describes the traditional method of updating the marquee with Lucite plastic letters, a labor-intensive process that adds a nostalgic charm and serves as a vital communication tool with the city.

Harris Dew:
“We have a special anniversary message up there right now to say thanks to all the New Yorkers who've made it possible for us to be around for so long.” [13:45]

Alison adds a personal touch by sharing how the marquee often becomes a source of inspiration and pride for visitors.

Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Alison and Harris extend their gratitude to the listeners and the community that has supported the IFC Center for two decades. The heartfelt interactions and shared memories affirm the center's significant role in enriching New York City's cultural tapestry.

Alison Stewart:
“Happy anniversary to you, Harris.” [19:33]

Harris Dew:
“Thank you so much.” [19:40]

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Notable Quotes:

• Harris Dew:
  “People have actually gotten to be even more adventurous... younger audiences ... aren’t turned off by subtitles.” [03:21]

• Harris Dew:
  “If you want to go out, you're going to want to go out. If you want to stay home and do something, you're going to want to stay home and do something.” [09:22]

• Harris Dew:
  “We all have ears to the ground in different places, so we're all pulling in information from a bunch of different places.” [06:30]

• Harris Dew:
  “We're lucky to make more to folks.” [02:13]

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Conclusion: This episode of All Of It provides an intimate look into the IFC Center’s two-decade journey, celebrating its achievements and exploring its enduring impact on New York City’s vibrant film culture. Through engaging discussions with Harris Dew and heartfelt listener contributions, the podcast encapsulates the essence of what makes the IFC Center a beloved institution for cinephiles and the broader community alike.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

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[Harris Dew]

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[Alison Stewart]

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[Harris Dew]

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[Alison Stewart]

You'Re listening to all of it on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. On this day 20 years ago, the IFC center opened on 6th Avenue in the space that once held the Waverly Theater. From the beginning, the theater sought to spotlight the best independent American films as well as international features that might not get screened elsewhere in the city. They've also spent 20 years playing horror films with their midnight movie series. And in 2010, they launched the DOC NYC Film Festival, which has become the country's largest documentary film festival. For many cinephiles, the IFC center is the place to discover great new movies. So today we are taking some time to walk down memory lane with the general manager of the IFC Center, Harris Dew. Harris has been working there since 2005, and we're also going to preview some of the special screenings going on tonight as part of those anniversary celebrations. Happy anniversary, Harris.

[Harris Dew]

Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

Listeners, we want to hear from you. What's a great memory you have of seeing a movie at the IFC Center? Maybe you've discovered a new movie for the first time or an old movie. Maybe it's a director or an actor that surprised the audience. Or maybe there was a special screening of an old movie that blew your mind. Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. We are taking your calls about 20 years of the IFC Center. You started at the IFC Center. What was the original mission?

[Harris Dew]

I think the original mission was just to celebrate cinema and to bring great cinema to New Yorkers. You know, we're really lucky in New York. We've got a great cinema culture. We've had a long cinema culture. But there's always room for more, right? There's always fantastic new films that don't have an opportunity to get seen. And I just felt lucky to be able to bring more to folks.

[Alison Stewart]

So what made you want to work there?

[Harris Dew]

Gosh, I started running a Film club in college and kind of got the bug that way and just like to put on a show for people and, you know, it's a great job to be able to make people happy, to have people see a film, get excited about it and talk about it.

[Alison Stewart]

What makes New York audiences unique?

[Harris Dew]

I think New Yorkers are really adventurous. I think they take a chance. They're willing to take a risk on a film they haven't heard of something. And, you know, it's hard to shock New Yorkers, too, I think, which is a great thing. Yes, we've kind of seen it all, but we're happy to see more and see stuff that we haven't discovered already.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, how have you seen the tastes.

Of New Yorkers change over the last 20 years?

[Harris Dew]

I think that people have actually gotten to be even more adventurous, I think. You know, one thing I think about is foreign language films used to be kind of ghettoized in a certain way. And I think, especially for younger audiences, for a long time we had this sort of stereotype of a foreign film as sort of a very serious drama and very, you know, touching on very adult themes. And I think that we've all had our eyes open to the real vast range of types of films. So I think that people are. Especially younger audiences now, aren't turned off by subtitles, aren't worried by them. And, you know, if they want to see a horror film, the fact that it's a fantastic Norwegian horror film isn't going to deter them from going out and getting the heck scared out of them.

[Alison Stewart]

This is reminding me of parasite. Right? 2019's parasite went on to win Best Picture. There were stories about it showing at ifc. Completely sold out.

What do you remember about that time?

[Harris Dew]

It was a. That's. Yeah, that's still our biggest hit. It's still, you know, a really groundbreaking movie. We opened it in November of 2019, and on four screens. We have five screens. So four of the five were just showing Parasite. All the shows opening weekend were sold out. It played with us for months and months. In fact, it was still playing when we had to shut down for Covid.

[Alison Stewart]

Wow.

[Harris Dew]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

But the director said, like, if you start to read subtitles, you might see some good movies.

[Harris Dew]

I mean, I can guarantee you you'll definitely see some good movies.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Evan, who is calling in from Brooklyn. Hi, Evan, thanks for making the time to call all of it. Evan, are you there? Oh, the machinery is not letting us talk to Evan.

[Harris Dew]

Sorry, Evan.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, if you do want to Call. Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Do we have Evan? Yes. No, maybe not. Okay. My guest is Harris Drew, general manager of the IFC Center. It is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Of course, a lot of directors get their starts in indie film. What does IFC see as its role?

[Harris Dew]

I think we're definitely challenging. Excuse me. Championing filmmakers and new voices. You know, we opened the theater with a film by Miranda July called Me and you'd and Everyone We Know. It was her first feature. She's a real polymath. Obviously, she's known for sort of. She has a certain kind of Instagram fame in a way, but she's also written novels. She's also, you know, she's just an amazing artist all the way around. And I think that kind of discovery is something that we're really excited about. I think the other thing that we always think about, too, is that there's so many different audiences in New York. There's so many different interests and people who are looking for different things. And while you can't serve everybody, we try and serve a lot of them. And we always try and think about, like, who's not getting a chance to see what they want to see, who's not getting, you know, what kind of things are we not paying enough attention to? Where can we do better?

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, that's interesting. Explain to me a little bit of the curation at ifc.

[Harris Dew]

Sure. Well, I work with a team of people, Caitlin Crowley and Lucia Pistoni on the programming side at docnyc. We have a whole stable of programmers who are led by Jay LaPlante, the artistic director of that festival. And so each of us, I think, brings a little bit of a different perspective and a little different idea of what's exciting. And also just we all have different. We have ears to the ground in different places, I would say. So we're all, you know, pulling in information from a bunch of different places and coming together to talk about what we. What we can show, what we think is going to work, what we think is going to be exciting for people to see.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Paul Adams in the East Village. Hey, Paul Adams, can you hear me?

[Caller]

Yes, Hi, Alison.

[Alison Stewart]

Sounds great.

[Caller]

Thank you for. I appreciate taking. I appreciate you taking my call. I have to give an incredibly huge shout out to the movie Sabbath Queen. I saw it last summer at the IFC center, and it's about my rabbi, Amitai Laulavi. It's about the journey his journey, coming out as queer in a predominantly heavily Orthodox Israeli community. And it's also about him continuing becoming a rabbi and continuing the, his family's tradition. He is the rabbinical tradition. He is the 39th generation of rabbis. And I have to give an absolutely huge shout out to the movie. It's called again, it's called Status Queen.

[Alison Stewart]

Paul Adam, thank you so much for calling. Antonio is calling us from the Bronx. Hey, Antonio, thanks for calling all of it.

[Caller]

Hi, thank you for taking my call. And I'd just like to say that I've seen plenty of documentaries at the ISC center, but one in particular that stands out was Dolores, the film about Dolores Huerta.

[Harris Dew]

Oh, yeah.

[Caller]

And I got to meet her there and I took a picture with her, saw it as a picture. Very meaningful experience because of everything she's done. And I will always cherish that. And I'll always. That's a very fond memory of IFC cinema.

[Harris Dew]

Oh, thank you. Thank you for bringing that one up.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. How often do people get to meet somebody that would have meaning in their life when they go to the IFC Center?

[Harris Dew]

I mean, we are really lucky to be in New York. We have so many filmmakers who are, are based here or who come through here. We make a real attempt to get filmmakers to come and present their films to the audience and that always makes it for an extra special experience. I think just the ability to connect with artists, to go deeper into the work is really special for people.

[Alison Stewart]

This is a text that says going to the IFC and seeing Terrence Malick's Tree of Life was incredible. I've always loved the movie and having the opportunity to see it in theaters kept me engaged in a whole new way. I also love seeing the Oscar nominated shorts and amazing documentaries that I wouldn't really have access to otherwise. Thanks for the text. If you want to celebrate IFC's 20th anniversary, which is today, with a great memory you have of seeing a movie at the IFC center, give us a call. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Joining me in studio is the general manager of the IFC Center. His name is Harris Dew Harris. One three thing that has changed a lot over 20 years is streaming. How has the IFC center adapted to the streaming world?

[Harris Dew]

I think it's funny, you know, I think we in the film business, we always talk about the crisis, right? The crisis the film business is in. But it's a crisis that's been coming in some shape or form since the 50s, in a way, since TV. So I think there are always these new technologies that are coming in that we're always afraid are going to disrupt and ruin everything. It's not to say they don't change, but I think ultimately we're the, you know, we're a destination. If you want to go out, you're going to want to go out. If you want to stay home and do something, you're going to want to stay home and do something. I ultimately think that New York, because it's a walking town, it's a town of people that are, you know, that do go out, that don't just hang out at home, that movies in New York aren't really in trouble. We'll be fine.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Paul, who's calling in from Brooklyn.

Hey Paul, thanks for taking the time to call, all of it.

[Caller]

No problem. I just had a fun memory of the first movie I saw at the IFC Center. It was called Squirelock, about an international parent from 2010. And it was an all day event. I watched it. It was like, I don't know, four or five, six hours. I don't know if you guys remember that movie.

[Harris Dew]

Oh, I remember it well, yeah. Yeah. I think that's. To your point about streaming. I think streaming has allowed some filmmakers to go into really like longer form events that might be changed to be a series ultimately when they go to streaming. But it's been a chance for people to go really deep into a subject.

[Alison Stewart]

What's your philosophy behind showing older movies at ifc?

[Harris Dew]

Yes, is the philosophy. We love them, we show them all the time. There's the rationale for doing it. It might be. There's a new restoration. That a film might have been unavailable for a long time or not in the greatest shape and it's been restored and now it's as beautiful as it ever was. There might be a great anniversary. This year we played Kubrick's Barry Lyndon to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Last year we had Francis Ford Coppola as a conversation to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Or it might just have some kind of extra resonance with whatever's going on in the world right now. There's a mix of things.

[Alison Stewart]

We talked about Parasite having that really hella long run. What other films have had really long runs at ifc?

[Harris Dew]

Our longest running film is Boyhood, which is kind of appropriate. It took 12 years to shoot and we played it for almost nine months. And it's a great, great film. Most recently last year or yeah, last year we played an Italian film called La Chimera for almost six months. And it's really special to be able to give a film a nice long run like that, to let people come and discover it in their own time and come back to it again and again.

[Alison Stewart]

Talk to Deborah is calling from Manhattan. Hi, Deborah, thanks for making the time to call all of it.

[Caller]

Hi. I just wanted to say that I see many wonderful movies at the IFC center, but I especially love the documentaries. And in the other night I saw the Kenneth Cole one. And every time I see one of the documentaries I say, thank heaven we have the if.

[Harris Dew]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

Love that. Harris Du is the general manager of the IFC Center. Today is the 20th anniversary of IFC. We are taking your calls. Our number is 212-433-9692. What's a great memory you have of seeing a movie at the IFC Center? Maybe you used to work there. What do you love the most about seeing movies there? Give us a call. 212-433-96921. One of the things that I love about IFC is the marquee. Explain for folks about how you keep up the marquee. Tell us a little bit about it.

[Harris Dew]

So, yeah, we are blessed, I would say blessed to have a very old school marquee. It's the Lucite plastic letters that get stuck on the suction cup at the end of a long, long pole and put into little plastic slots up there. It's not easy to change. People spend a lot of time doing it and it's a lot of work, but it's a great, great way to communicate with the city. And I think as somebody who, you know, has a lot of nostalgia around that, it's nice to have an old school marquee in town still. We have a special anniversary message up there right now to say thanks to all the New Yorkers who've made it possible for us to be around for so long.

[Alison Stewart]

I know. And we've had sort of a smaller, sort of interesting director on. I'm like, oh, I bet they're playing at ifc. And I go there, it's on the marquee. I take a picture, it ends up on our Instagram.

[Harris Dew]

There you go. Thanks.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell us a little bit about some of the special screenings you have planned tonight. It's the screening of Maniac.

[Harris Dew]

Yeah, there's a screening of Maniac. What we're doing today, just for one day only, is we're showing the four films that we opened the Theater with so me and you and everyone we know. But also Maniac, which was our first midnight movie. And we have the director actually coming tonight to do William Lustig plus Don't Look Bad, which is a Bob Dylan documentary by D.A. pennebaker that's sort of a real tribute to our history with documentary films and a silent Japanese movie, which was our first classic that we programmed.

[Alison Stewart]

So Maniac was your first sort of midnight movie screening. Why was this a good choice? Midnight movie screenings?

[Harris Dew]

Well, if I remember correctly, and it was 20 years ago, that was a series of, I think it was called New York at Midnight or something like that. It was all New York based kind of horror films or cult classics or what have you. And it was just for whatever reason, whatever the luck of the draw was, that was the first one of them. And we got really lucky that Bill was able to come out tonight. We do a lot of different midnight movie series. We do midnight movies every weekend. So sometimes it's a tribute to John Carpenter or other horror masters like that. Sometimes it's a little more off the cuff. We've done John Waters films, sometimes it's thematic. We've done. Oh, gosh. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take a call. Kathy is calling in from Neurochell. Hi, Kathy.

[Caller]

Hi, how are you doing?

[Harris Dew]

Great.

[Caller]

So the thing I love about the IFC is I get to see all the Oscar nominated shorts that you never have a chance to see anywhere else. And this way when you watch the Oscars and they give out the awards for those shorts, you can say, I actually saw them and I've brought people with me to the IFC to see those and it's just such a great opportunity. So thank you for giving us the chance to see the Oscar shorts.

[Harris Dew]

Thanks.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Norm from Brooklyn Heights. Hey, Norm, thanks for making the time to call all of it.

[Caller]

Thank you. Thank you for taking my call. I just wanted to say I used to live a few blocks from the IFC on 6th Avenue and 12th street, and now I live in Brooklyn Heights and so been to the IFC many times.

[Harris Dew]

But for me, had the thrill of.

[Caller]

A lifetime when my son, who is an independent film producer, had a film called Beach Rats that showed at the ifc. And like, seeing his film up on.

[Harris Dew]

The marquee was quite a thrill. Oh, that's great. Congratulations.

[Alison Stewart]

And let's talk to Brian who is calling from Brooklyn. Hey, Brian, thanks for calling all of it.

[Caller]

Oh, hey, Allison, thanks for having me. I just wanted to say I didn't even realize that it had been 20, 20 years since Miranda Richardson's you, Me, and everyone, you know, but I actually saw it there 20 years ago. So thanks for letting me remember that. And then the only other thing I was going to mention, I just happened. I'm just grateful for the ifc, for bringing films that I would have never even come across nor heard of. I saw a beautiful young movie about two young boys called Young at Heart. I don't know, about a month or so ago, I think it was Belgian. And I just happened to walk by the theater and looked at it and said, oh, that just went in to see it. And it was just a really touching, beautiful film that I just would have never even known of had it not been for the ifc. So I'm just grateful for what they bring to us. And. Yeah, that's it.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks, Brian.

[Harris Dew]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

How many times does that happen? Somebody just walking by and decides to walk in?

[Harris Dew]

More than you think. And I think, you know, thank you, New York. That's what we do in New York, right? We walk and we stumble across things. And you go into a bookshop that you've never been in before, or a cafe or, you know, you go see a movie. So that's a tribute also to all the great poster makers out there, all the people who do fantastic work on trailers. And to the marquee, too.

[Alison Stewart]

Anything special happening for the 20th anniversary.

We should know about?

[Harris Dew]

We've got a program coming up in August called 20 films for 20 years. And we're gonna showcase a different film from each of the years we've been open. We'll be able to announce all that in the next few days and a few other things. Cooking.

[Alison Stewart]

What are your hopes for the next 20 years of IFC?

[Harris Dew]

Just that we keep going. I mean, I think that. I think we're in a good position to keep going. I think, you know, thank you to all the callers who've called in. But it really lifts all of our spirits to know that everything that we do is so deeply appreciated. And, you know, we all feel really lucky to make a difference in the city, to make the city a more exciting place to be.

[Alison Stewart]

Harris Du is the general manager of the IFC Center. It's celebrating its 20th anniversary today. Happy anniversary to you.

[Harris Dew]

Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

And that is it for all of it. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. Tiffany Hansen's gonna be here tomorrow because I'm going to get me a Gracie Award. Yeah, I'll see you back here next time.

[Harris Dew]

This is Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, the science Friday team has been reporting high quality science and technology news, making science fun for curious people by covering everything from the outer reaches of space to the rapidly changing world of AI to the tiniest microbes in our bodies. Audiences trust our show because they know we're driven by a mission to inform and serve listeners first, first and foremost, with important news they won't get anywhere else. And our sponsors benefit from that halo effect. For more information on becoming a sponsor, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.