08 Sep Philadelphia Artist Spotlight: Bilal Motley

BY SOPHIA ABRAHAM-RAVESON

The cinéSPEAK Journal publishes a monthly Philadelphia Artist Spotlight highlighting local filmmakers and moving image artists doing unique and impactful work. 

Bilal Motley is a writer, producer, actor, husband, and father from the Greater Philadelphia Area. He is especially interested in films that explore race and class. Motley’s first short film, Midnight Oil, is a documentary that draws from his own experiences working at a local oil refinery. According to Motley, “The film chronicles his struggle to reconcile his love and kinship for his distressed refinery brothers and sisters and his growing awareness of the surrounding communities of color, fighting for environmental justice.”

Motley’s most recent short film project, Quarantine Kids, involves an unexpected collaborator: Motley’s 9-year-old daughter, Bria. The film uses audio recordings from Bria to depict the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children in Bria’s own words. Quarantine Kids recently had its world premiere as part of a shorts program entitled “Sillage” at the 2022 BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia, where the film earned the Love+Grit Philadelphia Filmmaker Award. Motley’s focus on telling Philadelphia stories about pressing issues like environmental racism and the lasting effects of the pandemic makes him an essential Philadelphia filmmaker to celebrate. 

cinéSPEAK asked Motley about his filmmaking inspiration, his most recent project, and what it means to be a creator in Philadelphia.

cinéSPEAK: What inspired you to be a filmmaker?

Bilal Motley: Both of my parents were visual artists. It is in my blood. I can’t escape it. 

cinéSPEAK: How did you get started on your recent film?

BM: My daughter, Bria, was having a very difficult pandemic experience. My wife and I tried therapy for Bria and it didn’t seem to help that much. One day a light bulb went off: Bria has always shown an interest in the arts through school plays and dance classes. I gave her a mic and left her alone to record her pandemic experience. Bria co-directed and wrote the film at the age of nine. Remarkable!

cinéSPEAK: What impact do you hope your work will have in the Philadelphia community?

BM: I want other local filmmakers to use the resources that they have. I made my first two films with my cellphone and by utilizing the resources at Scribe Video Center in West Philadelphia. I spent years trying to break down the doors of Hollywood as a screenwriter. It wasn’t until I took my career into my own hands that I began to see success. Don’t wait for the industry to find you. Make your own way. 

cinéSPEAK: Is there anything else you would like us to know about you or your work?

BM: My films are extremely personal. Midnight Oil was made to serve as a time capsule for my two young kids so they would know how I felt about climate change. Quarantine Kids was made because I wanted Bria to feel better during the pandemic. I stopped worrying about how the world perceives my work. I narrowed my audience to those that love me the most.

Watch Motley’s film Midnight Oil here. Keep an eye out for Quarantine Kids!

*Featured Image: Image of Quarantine Kids film poster. Courtesy of Bilal Motley. Image credit: Tone Turner.

Would you like to be featured in a future spotlight? Please fill out the Philadelphia Artist Spotlight form. The cinéSPEAK Journal maintains sole discretion over the publishing of any information provided via the form. Questions: journal@cinespeak.org

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Sophia Abraham-Raveson is the Managing Editor for the cinéSPEAK Journal. She has previously worked for several Philadelphia-based film festivals, including BlackStar and Tri-Co Film Festival.