BMFI Gets Money to Name Atrium for Goodfriend, Continues Fundraising

recently met a to raise half a million dollars for the theatre and to name the atrium after founder Juliet Goodfriend.

“I was very touched that the Board of Directors wanted this gift to name the atrium after me and that so many people came up to bat and gave money,” Goodfriend said. “We had over 500 gifts in two months. And, I don’t know, but a lot of those 500 were probably from couples, so that’s close to 1,000 people that said, ‘yes, let’s do this...’ I'm very flattered and honored and touched."

Goodfriend, formerly an executive in the field of pharmaceutical marketing research and trustee at , founded the theatre to save it from turning into a health club. She also envisioned a theatre with educational programs for local students.

But since its founding in 2002, the non-profit has been much more embraced by residents of Bryn Mawr and surrounding areas.

The Theatre Capital Campaign's fundraising goal for the final phase of renovations in a three-phased master plan, which includes an expansion from two screens to four, new seats and new digital projection booths and equipment, has been $5.5 million.

About $5 million has been raised, including through the atrium challenge.

However, Goodfriend anticipates they may need to raise the goal another $500,000, to $6 million, to accommodate new digital projection booths, which will cost about $100,000 to $150,000 apiece for each of the four screening rooms. 

“We do digital projection now, but not the kind of digital projection the industry demands for the future,” she said.

The original plan for three screens was expanded when verbally agreed to swap land with the film institute. Plans and negotiations are not entirely done yet, though, Goodfriend added.

Goodfriend is looking forward to Bryn Mawr Film Institute doubling its current programming with the additional screens, including more first-run films, more classics, more small, independent films and more documentaries. She also would like to see more classes geared toward elementary school students and more courses for adults as well.

Her hope is for the project to be completed in 2013, though the state requires construction be completed by mid-2014.

“We also have to make sure that even with this expansion, we continue to operate in the black,” Goodfriend said.

Sponsorships in the Take-a-Seat Campaign are $2,000 per seat, and donations can be made online at Bryn Mawr Film Institute's website. Also upcoming is Bryn Mawr Film Institute's fourth annual , whose proceeds benefit the theatre.