Bronxville and Scarsdale region

Southern Westchester lost a great promoter of film and fine arts last week with the death of Marilyn Ackerman, 81, at her home in Mamaroneck on Jan. 24.

From a writeup submitted by her son, Brian Ackerman, the programming director at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville:

“She was deeply involved in the world of film, along with her husband, who operated art theatres in Manhattan and Westchester, including the Fine Arts Cinema in Scarsdale. In 1982, with Beth Kochen, Marilyn began the innovative Westchester Cinema Club, where film-lovers could gather to view new films from all over the world—without knowing what they were to see, and before they opened in the US — followed by a discussion with film critics and scholars. It became a model for film clubs nationwide, and the Westchester Cinema Club has remained oversubscribed for all of its 30 years. She and her husband, Meyer, spent many years traveling to international film festivals, and she immensely enjoyed their years in the heart of the film industry. In 2003, the couple was given a Special Honorary Award For Their Contribution To Film by the County of Westchester.”

Survivors include her husband, Meyer; their three children, Farrell, of La Jolla, CA; Harriet, of Hastings on Hudson; and Brian, of Croton on Hudson, and five grandchildren.