BEYOND - Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism
About the Series
Updated on September 13, 2022
BEYOND - Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism is a 30-minute documentary series focused on Philadelphia residents’ information needs and how journalism can rise to increase their agency. With a character-driven aesthetic, each of the shorts in the series tells an independent story of three Philadelphians. Through their eyes, viewers will witness some of the greatest challenges our city is facing and how the media is impacting their communities.
BEYOND - Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism was produced by ¡Presente! Media and commissioned by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism to premiere at the 2020 BEYOND Conference.
Country of Production: United States Release Date: 2020
BEYOND - Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism es una serie documental de 30 minutos que se centra en las necesidades de información de los habitantes de Filadelfia y en cómo el periodismo crítico puede ayudar a aumentar su perspectiva. Con una estética basada en los personajes, cada uno de los cortometrajes de la serie cuenta la historia de tres residentes de Filadelfia. A través de sus ojos, los espectadores serán testigos de algunos de los mayores retos a los que se enfrenta nuestra ciudad y de cómo los medios de comunicación están influyendo en sus comunidades.
BEYOND - Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism fue producido por ¡Presente! Media y encargado por el Instituto Lenfest de Periodismo para su estreno en la Conferencia BEYOND 2020.
País de producción: Estados Unidos
Fecha de estreno: 2020
Watch the full documentary here:
Shorts in the Series
Alma’s Recipe (English / Spanish - 9 min) follows Alma Romero’s routine as a promotora de salud (health promoter) for Puentes de Salud, a non-profit offering medical care to Latinx and immigrant communities in Philadelphia. Her story takes us to Puebladephia—a South Philly neighborhood populated primarily by Mexican immigrants from Puebla—to learn how important Romero’s work as a promotora has been to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how fake news has been impacting the Latinx community during these trying times.
Raising Dreams (9 min) After being accused of a crime by her ex-boyfriend, 17-year-old My Le was incarcerated in a detention facility for adults. This film follows her journey to becoming a youth organizer for Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project (YASP) and her fight to abolish ACT 33, while also revealing how some media practices assist in criminalizing young people of color.
What’s Behind Me (9 min) features Jaleel King, a Philadelphia-native photographer who became disabled through gun violence. The film follows him for a day as he navigates the city by public transportation, while he talks about what inspires him to make art, and how mainstream media can do a better address disability rights.
Screenings
2022 Black X Film Festival , October 22nd - What's Behind Me
2022 United We Heal Film Festival, June 20th - Alma’s Recipe and What’s behind me
2022 Scribe’s Storyville: A Screening Advocating for Gun Reform, May 12th - What’s Behind me
2021 Scribe Street Movies - Church of the Advocate, August 25th - What's Behind Me
2021 Philadelphia Latino Film Festival - Alma’s Recipe
2021 BlackStar Film Festival - What’s Behind Me
To screen the documentary series, please contact us at info@presentemedia.org
Behind-the-scenes at the production of Alma’s Recipe.
Production Team
Director & Producer - Gabriela Watson-Burkett
Co-Producer & Researcher - Melissa Beatriz
Cinematographer & Editor - Aidan Un
Associate Producer - Aiko Brown
Additional Cinematography - Scott Burkett
Research Assistant - Michelle Meyers
Transcription - Ana Laura Pérez Flores
Lenfest Staff
Program Manager - Cheryl Thompson-Morton
Business & Programs - Analyst Kyra Miller
Program and Grants Administrator - Tiara Adriatico
Manager, Editorial and Digital Strategy - Joseph Lichterman