Beloved Cinema Arts Centre director fired, sparking community backlash
The board has not provided details, saying only in a letter to the community that there was "serious misconduct."
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The Cinema Arts Centre, a cornerstone of the Huntington community for more than 50 years, is facing growing backlash after the firing of Dylan Skolnick, the son of the theater's founder and its longtime co-director.
Community members, film historians and longtime patrons have voiced concerns over the decision, with many demanding more information from the organization's board.
"Cinema Arts Centre has been a really big part of my life, and a lot of people's lives here in Huntington for a long time, and it's just a shame that it has to come down to this," said Wallace Matthews.
In a letter to the community, the Cinema Arts Centre's board said, "the Centre parted ways with Mr. Skolnick after discovering and communicating to him what it believed to be, and continues to believe was, serious misconduct."
However, the board has not publicly provided additional details regarding the allegations.
The lack of explanation has frustrated many members of the film community.
Film historian Foster Hirsch criticized the board's handling of the situation.
"I think it sets a terrifying, chilling precedent to fire somebody like this and say, 'Oh, we can't tell you why.,'" Hirsch said. "What sort of a precedent does that set? You can say anything about anybody. Defame character. Destroy career. Oh, but I can't speak."
David Schwartz, a film programmer and writer who has attended the Cinema Arts Centre since the 1970s and known Skolnick for most of his life, also questioned the board's explanation.
"When you use the phrase 'serious misconduct,' that implies something really bad... and nothing like that is being asserted from what I know," Schwartz said. "I think people need a better explanation for what happened, but from what I've seen, there is no good explanation. And Dylan is irreplaceable."
Despite the controversy, the theater remained busy Friday night. Still, several longtime members and film presenters told News 12 they are boycotting the center until the matter is resolved.
Hirsch said he plans to stay away from the theater unless Skolnick returns, even forgoing events he has on the caldendar. Schwartz, who has been programming the Jewish Film Festival for the past four years, added he won't bring the event back to the CAC unless the issue is resolved. Other patrons are following suit.
The Cinema Arts Centre has not released additional information regarding the circumstances surrounding Skolnick's termination. Community members continue to call for greater transparency from the organization's leadership. A petition has been circulating to reinstate Dylan Skolnick and has collected more than 800 signatures so far.
