Street Movies! With Bartram's Garden

Scribe Video Center presents the 28th annual year of Street Movies! This film screening and performance series tours outdoor community spaces across Philadelphia every August with a program of independent short films from local, national, and international filmmakers, curated in partnership with neighborhood-based organizations. All events are family-friendly and open to the public. Join us for this free outdoor screening in partnership with Bartram's Garden. Join us for a live performance and a screening of five short films, followed by a community discussion. 7:30 pm - Live Performance by Hudson River 8:00 pm - Film Program & Discussion _____________________________________________________________ Film Program: Higher Ground: Restorative Science and Sustainability dir. Ben Kalina (2024, USA, 22 min) A film funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that follows researchers from Drexel University into the neighborhood of Eastwick in Philadelphia and the City of Camden as they engage with citizens and municipal leaders in the struggle to adapt to climate change. Daughter of the Sea dir. Alexis C. Garcia (2022, Puerto Rico, 19 min) After the death of her grandfather, a young woman experiences a spiritual awakening when she is called by Yemaya, the orisha Goddess of the Sea. Aztec dance in Philadelphia (2016) dir. Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac (2005, USA, 15 min) Meaning “School of Blood Moving in the Heart” in the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac is a dance and cultural troupe based in the heart of South Philadelphia. A visually captivating portrait of the group told through their own voices, Aztec Dance in Philadelphia raises questions about indigenous history and the retention of cultural heritage in the context of modern immigration. “We consider it a school because we are learning about the culture we have lost,” says one of the group’s members. The dancers of Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac bring their audiences a pre-Columbian heritage with roots in central Mexico. Kept alive by modern keepers of the culture like those in this trilingual Spanish/English/Nahuatl documentary, Aztec dance has followed the paths of contemporary Mexican immigrants into the United States. That migration has brought Aztec culture here, to Philadelphia. Aztec Dance in Philadelphia is an engaging resource for educators teaching modern immigration and a colorful testament to the resilience of indigenous cultures. Belmont Plateau Reclaiming Coaquannock (2016, USA, 13 min) This film tells the story of how Belmont Plateau served as a powerful gathering space for Philadelphia's indigenous communities for over a decade and the impact the loss of that space had. Voices from these communities share their histories and give testimony to the importance of having an indigenous gathering space to convene, celebrate, and pass on traditions. ____________________________________________________________________________________ For over two decades now, Street Movies! has been a great way for people to gather together, engage with independent film, and foster discussion around the cultural histories of their neighborhoods and issues affecting their communities. All screenings are free, open to the public, and family-friendly. More Info below.