About

PROUDLY PHILLY. BOLDLY INDEPENDENT.

SINCE 2013.

MISSION:

cinéSPEAK is a Philadelphia-based arthouse cinema and journal that cultivates experiences and opportunities for filmmakers and moviegoers, celebrating and strengthening local community and global movements for collective liberation.

Our multidisciplinary work directly supports emerging artists, filmmakers, and writers through screenings, salons, and cultural reporting—all of which center the stories from those historically excluded in the film and media industry. We bring independent films to new audiences, partnering with community organizations to create a more equitable and nourishing cinema ecosystem.

cinéSPEAK is an independent charitable 501(c)(3).

CORE VALUES:

Storytelling

We believe in the power of moving image art, filmmaking, and cultural journalism to facilitate important dialogues and foster empathy. We use storytelling as a tool to build community and raise awareness that drives action. We celebrate and champion the voices of peoples who have been historically excluded from engrained power structures within the film and media landscape.

Care and Dignity

Our practices center the dignity of all humans, rather than profit. We are part of a larger movement that is reimagining how art and culture is shared and experienced free from an extractive framework. We are continuously engaged in unlearning traditional labor models to create an organization that is sustainable and centers care of our staff, artists we work with, and our communities at large.

We bring an anti-oppression approach to every aspect of our work: the curation of our screenings, our partnerships, the cultural reporting in our online journal, and our internal processes. We aim to hold ourselves accountable by welcoming feedback to aid our collective learning and growth.

Connection

We are building a world where collaboration, not competition, guides all that we do. We facilitate the connection of artists, journalists, audiences, and organizations to learn and build together. We act as a conduit, bridging together communities toward collective liberation.

Locality

We are rooted in West Philly. We connect local, national, and global conversations, and are part of the rich tapestry of Philadelphia cultural movements–past, present, and future–that make our city unique. We uplift the ecosystem of artists, activists, and community organizations in our city, highlighting the strong film community that has always existed here. We welcome the full spectrum of identities and lived experiences of our neighbors.

Mobilization

We believe film fosters empathy, awareness, and new ways of understanding, driving action and building collective power.

We use the power and platforms that we have to amplify struggles for social change. When working to dismantle systems of oppression, we trust and follow the leadership of those most impacted and work alongside them in solidarity.