Heidi Saman

A first-generation Nigerian American and her Black American partner must decide between being true to themselves or trying to live up to their families’ expectations.

Steven Bassem spends his evenings at an upscale restaurant among the nouveau riche elite. But he's not there to dine; he's there to park cars. An all-but-invisible valet, Steven is acutely aware of his dead-end situation and begins to act out erratically.

The Maid, a short narrative film, examines the moments in which we are forced to understand that other people are real in the same way that we are. Rasha is an Egyptian housemaid, who is not so skilled at her job. When her suspicions about her employer are confirmed, Rasha must come to terms with her perceptions of trust, duty, and her place within the family household.

When a trans Latinx mermaid defies her mother’s warnings, she is forced to confront the violent legacies of colonialism, environmental destruction and the danger of being desired in the human world. The BlackStar Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab is presented with support from Independence Public Media Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation. This project has been supported by The Philadelphia Independent Media Fund administered by Scribe Video Center with funds provided by the Independence Public Media Foundation and the Wyncote Foundation.

Iconic British Folk and Rock legend, Richard Thompson performs an electric set in 2011.