31 Aug Philadelphia Monthly Arts Round-Up: September 2023
BY SOPHIA ABRAHAM-RAVESON
Please refer to the official websites for events to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information about ticketing, reservations, delays, re-scheduling, cancellations, and other guest policies for venues, including relevant COVID-19 requirements.
While it’s hard to say goodbye to summer vacation, September also marks the beginning of a new season of film and arts programming in Philadelphia. Vox Populi and Asian Arts Initiative both have exciting new multimedia exhibitions launching this month, featuring video installations and outdoor virtual reality experiences. The 2023 Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival and the 2023 Women’s Film Festival are both launching this month as well with unique and diverse programs worth checking out.
And now that the days are getting shorter and the nights are cooling off, it’s the perfect time to catch some end-of-summer outdoor film screenings and events. Don’t miss cinéSPEAK’s screenings at the Rotunda and Clark Park, Taller Puertorriqueño’s Feria del Barrio, and Arte en las Calles, a unique evening of opera and community at Teatro Esperanza. So pack a sweater and a picnic basket, and read on for the full scoop on film and media events in Philadelphia this month.
Thursday, September 7, 2023 at 6 PM
Ida
Join the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Education, Philosophy, and Religion Department for a screening of Paweł Pawlikowski’s 2013 film, Ida. This film imagines a young woman on the verge of taking Catholic vows whose plans change when she discovers the secret of her family heritage.
Cost: Free
Parkway Central Library — 1901 Vine Street Room 108 Philadelphia, PA 19103
Thursday, September 7 – Sunday, September 24, 2023
2023 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
There are nearly endless events to choose from if you want to attend the Fringe Festival this year, ranging from experimental theater to a group walk around the city, and everything in between. Several events focus on film: City Sway is a short film made in Philadelphia premiering at the festival, and Jefferson Huxley: A Retrospective is a multimedia interactive experience. Check out their online festival guide to decide what programs you want to attend this year.
Cost: Varies
Various locations throughout the city
Friday, September 8, 2023 at 7 PM
We are Beautiful in the Light: Johanna and Jahné Film Premiere
This film is screening as part of the Vox Populi exhibition entitled “Finding Home: Works by Chelsey Luster.” The film premieres with this screening and will continue to be on display with the exhibit through October 15. In this short film, Johanna and Jahné share their journeys as Black women with vitiligo. They explore themes of beauty, community, family and their pathways to self love. Chelsey Luster is a Philadelphia-based curator and visual artist who explores the complexities of safe spaces in Queer and Black culture through mixed-media paintings, video, and installation.
Cost: Free
Vox Populi — 319 N 11th Street #3, Philadelphia, PA
Friday, September 8 – Sunday, October 1, 2023
Bearded Ladies Cabaret: Late Night Snacks
The Bearded Ladies Cabaret returns for their third annual Late Night Snacks, the unapologetically queer performance art pop up that makes everyone a little bit gay. Featuring a wardrobe’s worth of artists from opera singers to drag queens, cabaret stars to art clowns, and everything in between, Late Night Snacks is here to convert you.
Cost: $10 – $1600
FringeArts — 140 N. Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 1 PM
Feria del Barrio
Feria del Barrio has been a long-standing festival celebrating Latinidad in the heart of Kensington. Now in its 38th year, Feria del Barrio is presented and produced by Taller Puertorriqueño in partnership with Asociación de Puertorriqueños en Marcha (APM), Congreso de Latino Unidos, HACE, and Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas. Join this community gathering at the famed El Centro del Oro (the Golden Block) and enjoy a family-friendly outdoor celebration with artists, performances, vendors, and more.
Cost: Free
Taller Puertorriqueño — 2600 N 5th, Philadelphia, PA, United States 19133
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 7 PM
Make Me Famous: Philadelphia Premiere
Edward Brezinski worked alongside Keith Haring, David Wojnarowicz, and Jean-Michel Basquiat in the Lower East Side art scene, but never reached the same level of success as his contemporaries. The 2022 documentary Make Me Famous uncovers why such a well-connected yet peculiar painter never made it, despite being so maniacally focused in his quest for fame. What begins as an investigation into Brezinski’s legacy and mysterious disappearance becomes a sharp, witty portrait of NYC’s 1980s downtown artscene. Check out this unique opportunity to see the Philly premiere of a new documentary!
Cost: $10 General Admission, $8 Students/Seniors, Free for Members/UArts Students/UArts Faculty & Staff
Lightbox Film Center — 401 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 6:45 PM
cinéSPEAK @ The Rotunda: Our Right to Gaze
Check out this touring film anthology featuring original narrative shorts by emerging Black artists from across the country. This year’s program was curated by Curtis Caesar John, founder and Executive Director Luminal Theater, and produced and distributed by Full Spectrum Features. This event is presented in partnership with Bright Bulb Screenings and will include a performance from Philly-based singer-songwriter Talie. The screening will take place outdoors at the Rotunda (unless it rains), so bring your own blankets and chairs to sit on!
Cost: Free
The Plaza at The Rotunda — 4014 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Friday, September 15 – Sunday, October 15, 2023
Invasive Species: Eco/Systems Land Based Initiatives (Outdoor Exhibit)
This public art installation is part of a series of projects and events entitled Invasive Species. The project is the culmination of the two-year collaboration with Dr. Ashley Gripper (of Land Based Jawns) and Sonia Galiber (of Soil Generation), with Eto Otitigbe and eo Studio as the artistic director and production partner. Taking place at the Cut, a green space that runs parallel to Callowhill Street and is currently being considered for transformation from an abandoned rail line into a beautiful public space for all in the heart of Philadelphia, this outdoor installation invites visitors to use mixed reality as they cross-pollinate the Cut’s diverse plant life with narratives about cultural and physical migration. Check out the full list of Invasive Species programs and events here.
Cost: Free
Asian Arts Initiative — 1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 6 PM
Arte en las Calles
Bring the whole family for an evening of live performances, Latin music, food trucks, and opera on the big screen at Esperanza. This is a multi-part collaboration between Esperanza and Opera Philadelphia, starting with a business fair and kid-friendly activities and live musical performances from singers and pianists. Then at 7:30 PM, Opera Ithaca’s 90-minute adaptation of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel will screen outdoors. In this version of the classic story, two children lost in the woods are captured by a celebrity chef witch, who hosts the kids on her cooking show as both the guest stars and the main ingredients. The film will include English and Spanish subtitles.
Cost: Free
Esperanza Parking Lot (entrance on 4th & Bristol Street) — 4261 North 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19140
September 21 & 22, 2023 at 7 PM
Body of Work: Cheryl Fabio
Describing her work as Soft Politics, Cheryl Fabio has been working in documentary film since 1976. In addition to working with community-based organizations, Fabio was Program Director at Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in Oakland, California, and taught at City College of San Francisco. This program will include a screening of her 1976 documentary film Rainbow Black: Poet Sarah W. Fabio, a legacy of her mother and her work, along with Fabio’s 2017 documentary Evolutionary Blues…West Oakland’s Music Legacy about the community of Black blues musicians in Oakland on September 21. Come back on September 22 for a screening of her 2023 film A Rising Tide about the housing crisis in Alameda County, California.
Cost: $5
Scribe Video Center — 3908 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Thursday, September 21 – Sunday, October 1, 2023
The Women’s Film Festival
Philadelphia’s annual Women’s Film Festival is a forum that inspires and cultivates a movement to celebrate and unite the power of women and non-binary individuals in the film and entertainment industry. Keep an eye on the festival website and social media to learn more about what films will screen this year!
Cost: $8-125
Various Locations
Friday, September 22, 2023 at 7:30 PM
RE-DO: cinéSPEAK Under the Stars 2023: Black Orpheus
Winner of both the Academy Award for best foreign-language film and the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, Marcel Camus’ Black Orpheus brings the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to the twentieth-century madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. This is a rescheduled screening from May, and will feature a pre-screening DJ set from Lil Dave starting at 5:30.
Cost: Free
The Bowl at Clark Park — 4300 Chester Ave Philadelphia, PA 19104 United States
Sunday, September 24, 2023 at 7:30 PM
Anniversary–5 Years of Lino Kino
In celebration of their five-year anniversary, the DIY spirit of Lino Kino’s beloved site-specific screenings are coming to the FringeArts’ Haas Biergarten for a one-night-only evening of film and video art produced by local artists. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a movie-magic inspired cocktail courtesy of the bar. And if you’re a local filmmaker interested in submitting work to be included in the screening lineup, Lino Kino will be accepting submissions until Sunday, September 10.
Cost: Free
FringeArts – 140 N Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 6:30 PM
Independence Public Media Foundation Presents a Local Filmmaker Showcase
Join cinéSPEAK and Independence Public Media Foundation for a free local filmmaker screening at West Philly’s One Art Community Center. Enjoy short films by Eunice Levis, Gerad Argeros, and Shuja Moore, light refreshments, and the chance to learn from and speak directly with the filmmakers, who will be present for a post-screening Q&A!
Cost: Free
One Art Community Center – 1431-39 N 52nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19131
Friday, September 29, 2023 at 7 PM
Producers’ Forum With Tania Cypriano
Attend this screening of Cypriano’s 2019 documentary Born to Be about one surgeon’s experience providing gender-affirming care to trans and nonbinary patients. During this current rise of policing of trans people’s bodies, this film highlights how valuable and life changing trans-affirming health care is. After the film, stay for a discussion with Cypriano.
Cost: $7.50 General Admission, $5 Students/Seniors, $4 Scribe Members
Scribe Video Center — 3908 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 5 PM
In Process with Tshay Williams
Join cinéSPEAK for an intimate communing featuring a seminar and conversation with filmmaker & multi-disciplinary artist Tshay Williams. Williams recently produced the short narrative film The Difference Between Us, which premiered at BlackStar Film Festival in August 2023. The event will invite attendees into Williams’ creative process and to explore the world of her debut animated film, Tell Me When You Get Home.
Cost: Suggested $10-20, no one turned away
Making Worlds Cooperative Bookstore & Social Center — 210 South 45th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Other Events:
Friday, September 1, 2023 at 7 PM
Frankford Pause Park Movie Night: Vivo
Cost: Free
Frankford Pause Park — 4673 Paul Street Philadelphia, PA 19124
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Cost: Free
AUTOMAT Collective — Suite 105, Crane Arts Building 1400 N. American Street Philadelphia, PA 19122
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 8 PM
Philly Rising Open Mic Presented by Rec Philly
Cost: Free
The Lounge at World Cafe Live — 3025 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
Friday, September 8, 2023 at 6 PM
Cost: Free
Vox Populi — 319 N 11th Street #3, Philadelphia, PA
Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 11 AM
Indonesian Festival: The Island Country
Cost: Free
Fleisher Art Memorial – 719 Catharine St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Friday, September 15, 2023 at 7 PM
Cost: $5 suggested donation
Scribe Video Center — 3908 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 6 PM
“Angola Do You Hear Us?” Film Screening with Mural Arts
Cost: Free
Institute of Contemporary Art — 118 S 36th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Friday, September 22, 2023 at 7 PM
Amateur Night at City Hall: The Story of Frank L. Rizzo
Cost: $10 General Admission, $8 Students/Seniors, Free for Members/UArts Students/UArts Faculty & Staff
Lightbox Film Center — 401 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Saturday, September 23, 2023 at 11 AM
Cost: Free
The Kimmel Center — 300 S. Broad St, Philadelphia, PA
*Featured Image: Image from the Invasive Species project. Courtesy of Asian Arts Initiative.
Would you like your event to be featured in a future round-up? Please fill out the Philadelphia Monthly Arts Round-Up form at least one month prior to the event. Note: events shared less than a month ahead of time may not be able to make our publishing schedule. The cinéSPEAK Journal maintains sole discretion over the publishing of any information provided via the form. Questions: journal@cinespeak.org
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.
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