RELIVE THE EVENING
Soiree guests were welcomed in Theaters 1 and 2 with this video, in which members of BMFI’s community share their favorite memories, films, and what this theater means to them.
Can’t see the video above? View it on Vimeo
A ONCE-IN-A-CENTURY OCCASION
The Centennial Soiree invited guests to experience the building’s century-long story firsthand. Each of BMFI’s four theaters was transformed to tell a chapter of that history, with onscreen content, interactive experiences, and surprises around every corner. The evening closed with dessert in the Seville Gallery and a make-your-own-movie-snack-bar for a takeaway treat to end the night.
CINEMATIC STEWARDSHIP
Proceeds benefit the continuing preservation and improvement of BMFI’s 100-year-old landmark, so the next century of audiences can gather here too.
THEATER 1 · THE BEGINNING
BMFI’s largest and most storied theater came alive with a Klip Collective projection illuminating the room’s original 1926 architectural details.
THEATER 2 · THE GOLDEN AGE
Classic old-house character met Hollywood’s Golden Age, with a Bryn Mawrtini bar and a photo booth that spliced guests into iconic movie posters.
THEATER 3 · THE LATE MILLENNIUM
Stadium seats and food stations set the scene for the building’s long middle chapter, from the New Hollywood era and the blockbuster age to the eve of its rebirth.
THEATER 4 · THE BMFI ERA
The evening came full circle with the BMFI era itself, from the institute’s founding in the 2000s to today, and a look back at the cinema’s first century—so far.
A CONVERSATION WITH GARRETT BROWN
VIP guests gathered in Theater 1 for a special program with Garrett Brown, whose invention of the Steadicam transformed cinema and led to work with Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, and many others. Brown discussed his storied career and the medium’s path into the digital age.
THE BEL CANTOS
The a cappella ensemble from Agnes Irwin School, a BMFI community partner, provided live music.
DESSERT IN THE SEVILLE GALLERY
The night ended upstairs in the Seville Gallery’s dessert tasting room.
GOODFRIEND
Alice and Christian Bullitt
Trip and Lainey McMahon
Harmelin Media
Juliet Goodfriend and Marc Moreau
Marsha Perelman
Nancy Shevlin
CENTENNIAL
Cynthia Archer
Gloria and John Drosdick
Focus Features
Ellen and Michael Harrington
Norman M. Powell, Esquire and Dr. Karen Zimmer Paul, MD
Martha Morse
Pinemar
Holly and Jack Rutkowski
Marlena and Anthony Santomero
Valetta
Waverly Heights
Lyn Wiesinger
Janine and Jeff Yaas
SEVILLE 1926
Julie and Jim Alexandre
Altus
Carolyn and John Bartholdson
Paresh and Robbyn Bhatt
Jill A. Bonner
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Bucklee
Kalian and Christopher Carey
Lynann and Rick Cimino
Claytor Noone Plastic Surgery
Barbara Cobb
Martha and Bill Cyphers
Alice and George “Sandy” Day
Sharon and Rob Drury
Duffy Real Estate
Paul Fenstermaker
Julia and David Fleischner
Jennifer and Scott Fisher
Anne and David B. Ford Jr. Foundation
Fox Rothschild LLP
Patricia and Ed Garno
Anna and Tom Gerrity
Kavitha Goyal
Harry Groome
Lyn Groome
Sarah and Jarrad Gunther
Barbara and Charles “Ed” Haldeman
Louise and Peter Havens
Hannah L. Henderson
Mary and Jeff Henderson
Jeff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
Dr. Paul Hoffstein, DMD and Lisa S. Hoffstein
J. Workman Millinery
Lorna and Lathrop B. Nelson
Nolan Painting
Amy Norr
O’Donnell Roofing Co.
Elissa Topol and Dr. Lee Osterman
Rochelle Ostroff-Weinberg
John Piasecki and Gretchen Sprafke
Robert Pratter
Premier Ortho / Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center
Rubin Fortunato
Lynn and Sam Scott
Janet Wilson Smith
Tina Elsner and Michael Smith
Joe Straton
Sun East Foundation
Lily and Brian Tierney, Jr.
Eddie Verzella
Wallace Dry Goods
Dr. Lawrence Wells
Dr. Bernadette Wheeler
Ginny and Carter Williams
W.S. Cumby
WSFS
Sponsors as of October 1, 2026
Co-Chairs
Alice and Christian Bullitt
Lisa and Dr. Paul Hoffstein
Norman M. Powell, Esquire and Dr. Karen Zimmer Paul, MD
Host Committee
Julie and Jim Alexandre
Carolyn and John Bartholdson
Clare and Peter Bastian
Fred Bissinger
Chris Carey
Vanessa Christman and David Newman
Lynann and Rick Cimino
Barbara Cobb
Jane and George Corrigan
Bill and Martha Cyphers
Alice and George Day
Rob and Sharon Drury
Mark and Megan Dugan
Scott Fisher
Anne and David Ford
Juliet Goodfriend and Marc Moreau
Kat and Steve Gord
Harry Groome
Jarrad and Sarah Gunther
Sarah and Chester Hall
Michael and Ellen Harrington
Louise and Peter Havens
Caroline and Brian Linz
Quincy and David McCoy
Trip and Lainey McMahon
Martha Morse
Stephanie Naidoff
Jeff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
Ted Peters
John Piasecki and Gretchen Sprafke
Eric and Luisa Rabe
Eileen Rosenau
Lynn and Sam Scott
Mary Ann Settembrino
Joe Straton
Lily and Brian Tierney
Elissa Topol and Dr. Lee Osterman
Eddie Verzella
Patricia and Richard Wesley
Dr. Bernadette Wheeler and Dr. Lawrence Wells
Lyn Wiesinger
Carter and Ginny Williams
In-Kind Supporters
Philadelphia Distilling
The Buttery
The Bakery House
Pinwheel Provisions
Delice et Chocolat
Wallace Dry Goods
Event Production
Catering: Catering by Design
Event Planning: Catherine Sontag LLC
Graphic Design: Carolyn Brandt Design
Projection Mapping: Klip Collective
Photography: Hughe Dillon
Photography: Industry & Commerce Image Works
Videography: Joe Ronca
Photobooth: Armani Entertainment
Valet: Alber-Haff Parking Service
Live Music: Bel Cantos, Agnes Irwin School
Raffle Prize Donors
Mary Ann Settembrino
Willows Park Preserve
J. Workman Millinery
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
Eddie Verzella
Main Line Mahjong and Little House Shoppe
Paul Fenstermaker
And to everyone who shared a message in the commemorative book, and to the team that brought the evening to life: thank you.
The Seville’s story continues every time the lights go down. Help write the next chapter.
Photography by Hughe Dillon and Industry & Commerce Image Works
