To the Board of Directors of Cinema Arts Centre, Dylan Skolnick, and representatives of Save Our Cinema:

For more than 50 years, Cinema Arts Centre has been one of Long Island's most important cultural institutions, bringing independent films, international perspectives, filmmakers, and thought-provoking discussions to the Huntington community.

Today, its future is in jeopardy.

The dismissal of longtime Co-Director Dylan Skolnick has produced an increasingly damaging conflict between the Board and a substantial portion of the community. Programs have been canceled, presenters and distributors have withdrawn, members have requested refunds, and attendance and financial support have declined.

The Board maintains that its decision was justified by serious management and governance concerns. Dylan and his supporters dispute the Board's account and question its motives and conduct. We believe those disagreements should be addressed through an independent process rather than continuing to threaten the institution's future. We also recognize that neither side is likely to abandon its position simply because the other demands it.

But continuing this confrontation threatens the survival of the institution itself.

We therefore call upon the Cinema Arts Centre Board of Directors, Dylan Skolnick, and representatives of Save Our Cinema to agree to independent, professionally facilitated mediation.

We specifically request that:

1. Both sides agree, within ten business days of receiving this petition, to participate in independent mediation and begin the process of selecting a mutually acceptable mediator.
2. An independent mediator be selected by mutual agreement between the Board and Dylan Skolnick, with input from representatives of the Cinema Arts community. Concerned members and donors are prepared to suggest qualified candidates, but neither side should have unilateral control over the selection.
3. Mediation address not only Dylan's dismissal, but also the future governance, management, programming, and financial viability of Cinema Arts. Representatives of the broader Cinema Arts community should also participate in discussions concerning the institution's governance, programming, and future.
4. All parties consider potential compromises, including changes in Board composition, restructuring of management responsibilities, and arrangements that could preserve Dylan's creative contributions and longstanding industry relationships.
5. The parties commit to providing the community with a timely update on whether mediation has been accepted, while respecting the confidentiality necessary for productive negotiations.

Signing this petition does not mean endorsing Dylan's reinstatement, supporting the current Board, or assigning blame for the present crisis. It means believing that every reasonable effort should be made to find a negotiated solution before Cinema Arts Centre suffers irreversible harm.

The community has invested more than half a century in building and sustaining this institution. Its future deserves more than an unresolved confrontation.

We urge all parties to put the survival of Cinema Arts Centre first.

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Paul Krawitz, M.D. -  Cinema Arts Centre Director’s Circle Member and Longtime Donor
F. Towne Allen - Emily T. Allen Linda P. Allen & F. Towne Allen Charitable Gift Fund
Ellen Hughey Reynolds - Founder's Society and Cinema Friend
Anuradha Sharma Magee - Cinema Arts Patron Member and Longtime CAC Supporter