Public radio station WXPN and the Philadelphia Film Society have teamed up again to bring the second installment of the annual festival celebrating all things musical in movies.
In what started as a part of the Philadelphia Film Festival hosted every year in October, local mainstays WXPN and the Philadelphia Film Society have joined forces to bring a special selection of great music-related movies to the city next weekend. Dubbed the XPN Music Film Festival, it made its debut this time last year. The festival and collection of movies presented received great praise from both the local press and public, making its return this year a no-brainer.
The types of films a festival-goer can expect to see include biopics about musicians, rockumentaries as well as films with notable soundtracks. In tandem with the screenings are a number of other events such as an opening and closing party and live performances. The festival is a great way for movie and music fans alike to come together and take in films that might not make it to silver screens in the city.
Admission can be done in one of two ways. The first is by purchasing an all access badge. The badge gives the holder individual access to every screening, live performances, and the opening and closing parties. All access badges run the public $125 each. For members of XPN and the Philadelphia Film Society, the price is reduced to $100. Otherwise ticket prices for individual films begin at $8.
While a full list of movies and their scheduled show times can be found here, below are a few of the highlights from the group of 26 screenings.
Freak Show – Last year The Flaming Lips made headlines when they played a free Halloween show in their hometown of Oklahoma City. Billed as “the largest costume party in the Midwest” the show featured a career spanning set from the masters of unpredictability. Production company Delo Creative was there to capture the entire night. Saturday night at World Cafe Live a special screening will begin at 10PM along with a costume/ dance party.
Once A Lullaby: The P.S. 22 Chorus Story – Premiering at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, this heart warming documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the most famous public school children’s choir and their monumental journey leading up to their performance at the 2011 Academy Awards. The movie captures teacher Gregg Breinberg and his courageous group of 5th graders in a way unlike no other.
The Punk Singer – Kathleen Hanna is thought of as one of the most influential female singers of our generation. Hanna led famous acts such as Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and The Julie Ruin, as well as stepping into the forefront of the Riot Grrl movement. The Punk Singer is a Kickstarter-backed film that showcases Hanna’s story and influence on other groups and people.
