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.