The series leads off with Poly Styrene: I am a Cliché (November 26-December 2). A documentary, the film follows Celeste Bell as she examines the unopened artistic archive of her mother, Poly Styrene, who was the first woman of color in the UK to front a successful rock band. All screenings of Poly Styrene: I am a Cliché are virtual.
No Ordinary Man (December 2-8) tells the story of the life of American jazz musician Billy Tipton, as reimagined by trans artists who celebrate him as a trans culture icon and unlikely hero. The Conductor (December 9-15) showcases renowned conductor Marin Alsop, who smashed the glass ceiling as the first woman to serve as music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Screenings of No Ordinary Man and The Conductor are both in-person and virtual.
For more information and to purchase access, please visit PennLiveArts.org. Visit Penn Live Arts’ FAQs page for additional details.
With a long history of presenting film starting in the 1970s, Penn Live Arts returns this important art form to its regular line-up to broaden its inclusive arts programming while also supporting independent film at Penn and in Philadelphia. The Penn Live Arts film series is created by Curator-at-Large for Film, Maori Karmael Holmes, who is also Artistic Director and CEO of BlackStar Projects, and Executive and Artistic Director Christopher Gruits to present films that complement and amplify Penn Live Arts’ season programming across all disciplines.
