Films Shaped by a City
Films Shaped by a City by artist Marian Bailey is located on the rear of the Film Society Center building in Center City Philadelphia. Starting in 2023 Mural Arts, BlackStar Film Festival, the Philadelphia Film Society and artist Marian Bailey developed an exciting mural project celebrating the legacy of Philadelphia Film. The mural includes many films and film related organizations that have impacted filmmaking, film presentation and film- related training in Philadelphia.
To create the list of films and organizations featured, a public survey asked Philadelphians which films, people and places impacted them the most. We also created an advisory panel made up of representatives from BlackStar Film Festival, cinéSPEAK, PhillyCAM, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, Philadelphia Film Society and Scribe Video Center. The group met over the course of a year looking at survey respondents and working with the artist to create this vibrant design. As the film community is massive and has spanned many years the mural does not include every person, place or thing that has contributed to Film Culture in Philadelphia. Below find a list of the films and organizations that are featured in the mural but also some that were not.
Represented Films, Venues and Organizations
12 Monkeys; Dir.: Terry Gilliam, film
Beloved; Dir.: Jonathan Demme, film
Big Picture Alliance; Youth Based Filmmaking & Digital Media Arts Educational Organization
BlackStar Projects; Filmmaker Organization & Festival
Blow Out; Dir.: Brian De Palma, film
Boyd Theatre; Former 1920s Era “Movie Palace”
cineSPEAK; Arthouse Cinema & Journal
Concrete Cowboy; Dir.: Ricky Staub
Festival of Independents
High School; Dir.: John Stalberg Jr, film
Hustle; Dir.: Jeremiah Zagar, film
Image Weavers
International House; Cinema Hub & Theater
Lightbox Film Center; Film & Moving Image Theater
Little Filmmakers; Youth Based Media & Arts Educational Organization
Mikey and Nicky; Dir.: Elaine May, film
Night Catches Us; Dir.: Tanya Hamilton, film
PAAFF; Filmmaker Organization & Festival
Philadelphia Film Society; Filmmaker Organization & Festival
Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival; Filmmaker Organization & Festival
Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival; Arts & Filmmaker Organization & Festival
Philadelphia; Dir.: Jonathan Demme, film
Phildelphia Festival of World Cinema; Former Film Festival
PhillyCAM; Public Access Television Network & Media Arts Education Center
PIFVA; Former Filmmaker Organization
Q Fest; former film festival
ReelBlack; Educational Media Organization
Rittenhouse Square; Dir.: Robert Downey Sr, Documentary
Rocky; Dir.: John G. Avildsen
Scribe Video Center; Media Arts Education Center
Secret Cinema; Floating Reperatory Cinema Series
Silver Linings Playbook; Dir.: David O Russell, film
Surrender Dorothy; Dir.: Kevin DiNovis, film
The Last Broadcast; Dir.: Stefan Avalos & Lance Weiler, film
The Roxy; Former Movie Theater
The Royale; Former “Colored Photoplayhouse”
The Scar of Shame; Dir.: Frank Peregini, Silent Film
The Sixth Sense; Dir.: M Night Shyamalan, film
TLA Video; Former Video Rental Store
Trading Places; Dir.: John Landis, film
Watermelon Woman; Dir.: Cheryl Dunye, film
Womens Film Festival; Filmmaker Organization & Festival
Location Note: Mural is on the rear of the Philadelphia Film Society building at 1412 Chestnut Street and is visible from Sansom Street.
