BlackStar Film Fest returns with a new location
When the globally renowned BlackStar Film Festival returns next week, it’ll take place in a new, central location. After a decade in University City, the 12th annual celebration of Black, brown, and Indigenous filmmakers will screen its 90+ films on the Avenue of the Arts — at venues like the Kimmel Center, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, and Lightbox Film Center.
Jordan Levy has the lowdown on the festival to come, and how BlackStar is showing solidarity with the WGA/SAG strikes.
What’s living in the giant West Philly sinkhole?
A chasm about 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep opened Wednesday at 57th and Media streets in West Philadelphia. It’s still not clear what caused the pavement to fall, but crews are working to repair a collapsed sewer and remove debris from the hole to figure out what’s going on.
There’s more to know about this infrastructure failure, and we’ll keep you apprised. In the meantime…jokes. What might live in that giant hole? We asked on social media — and your suggestions didn’t disappoint.
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• Pa. House impeachment managers targeting Philly DA Larry Krasner for impeachment filed an appeal of the Commonwealth Court decision, which said Krasner was not guilty of “misbehavior in office.” [BP 2022/Politics PA]
• After a runaway (but mostly empty) trolley smashed into Southwest Philly’s historic Blue Bell Inn last night, SEPTA has now seen five bus and trolley crashes in one week. [Billy Penn]
• SEPTA’s new mobile payment option, Key Tix, was used nearly 37k times last month, with some taking advantage of the ability to swipe through multiple people at once. Here’s our guide on how to use it. [@SEPTAPHILLY/Billy Penn]
• The new black-and-white tiled floor is in at Termini Bros. Bakery. Ripping up the old one was a surprisingly emotional endeavor for staff and patrons alike. [@termini_bros/Billy Penn]
• Philly’s annual Unity Cup tournament — which brings together immigrant communities across the city — will have a women’s division for the first time this year. [BP 2018/KYW]
• Soccer is all the rage right now: “Always Sunny” star Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC club is in Philly today to play a showcase game against the Union (streaming here). Side note: Andre Blake, the Union’s Jamaican-born goalkeeper, just became a U.S. citizen. [Billy Penn/Axios/MLS/@PhilaUnion]
• In the ~other~ kind of football news, the Eagles on Monday will debut the long-awaited return of kelly green jerseys. [Bleeding Green/Billy Penn]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Kenney attends the Franklin Institute-hosted premiere of “A Hope that Lights the Way,” a documentary featuring community leaders and organizations spearheading anti-violence initiatives in Philadelphia (6:45 p.m.).
ON THE CALENDAR
🎶 Catch the vibes at the Fishtown FestivALT Block Party, featuring Portugal.The Man, GROUPLOVE, Snacktime Philly, and more on and off the stage all afternoon at three different locations. Tickets start at $50. (1 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 29)
💃🏽 Dancers of all levels, Philadelphia Dance Day is here! Group lessons in Zumba, Cuban rumba, hip hop cardio, ballet, lindy hop, house party fitness, and more are available with free RSVP. (10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 29)
📖 Billy Penn is proud to headline the inaugural Philly Story Fest, joining journalists from media outlets around Philadelphia to tell the city’s best stories on stage at the Bok. Early bird tix are $17. (7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5)
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