We’re really excited to announce our partnership with the Linda Creed Foundation to bring the documentary Crazy Sexy Cancer to the First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art!  The Festival runs from November 11th through the 16th at the Painted Bride Art Center in Old City.

Crazy, Sexy Cancer

Location: Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St.
Date: Saturday November 14th
Time: 11:30-2:30pm
Cost: $35 (Buy tickets now!)

20% of all event proceeds benefit the Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation

“Cancer has been my guru,” says Kris Carr, who set out to document her struggle to heal from what seemed to be an incurable form of the disease. With an entertaining blend of humor and emotion, the film accompanies her through her encounters with both the medical establishment and an astonishing variety of holistic healers. Finally, Carr’s illness goes into remission, and she discovers the irony that, rather than challenging her will to live, cancer has furnished her with a life-affirming wisdom. A discussion by experts in various aspects of holistic treatment will follow.

Before the screening, enjoy a lunch prepared by natural food chef Christina Pirello, whose journey to health followed a similar trajectory. She will share her own story and sign copies of her new cookbook This Crazy Vegan Life: A Prescription for an Endangered Species.

Christina Pirello is the Emmy Award-winning host of Christina Cooks, now in its 9th season. She also publishes Christina Cooks, a bi-monthly magazine.

In partnership with the Linda Creed Foundation.

Food generously donated by Essene Market & Café.

Here’s the trailer for a short documentary about urban fishing in Philadelphia that will screen for the first time at the First Person Salon at the Gershman Y on September 10th:

In addition, this final Salon before the 2008 Festival will feature poetry from Robert Wright, autobiographical comedy from Steve Gerben and Pat Barker, and a short memoir reading and documentary film from Angel Hogan about her life as an adoptee.

First Person Salon at the Gershman Y

401 S. Broad St (Broad and Pine)

September 10th, 7-9pm

Cost: $5-$10 sliding scale

Beer available by donation from our friends at Flying Dog!

Chances are you’ve already seen the work of artist Eric Okdeh dozens of times, although you may not have realized it. Okdeh, a South Philadelphia native, is the creative force behind many of the city’s most beautiful murals.

On August 13th, Okdeh will join us to discuss his current project with the Mural Arts Program: a work dedicated to overcoming the stigma of mental illness through recovery. The mural, located at 4040 Market Street, represents a collaboration with over 150 community members, who contributed poetry, paintings, and glass and mosaic work. Okdeh will offer a behind the scenes look at this unique creative process. Don’t miss it!

You can see more of Okdeh’s work here.

FIRST PERSON SALON: Wednesday August 13th, 7-9pm, at the Gershman Y
An evening of innovative art and conversation. Featuring…

•Filmmaker ANDREW DAVID WATSON
•Muralist ERIC OKDEH
•Storyteller JULIET WAYNE
•Multi-media artist MATTHEW BORGEN

$5-10 sliding scale admission. Beer (made possible by Flying Dog) and refreshments available for donation. All ages welcome. 401 South Broad Street.

Maybe you remember Showbiz Pizza Place from when you were a kid, or when you took your kids there in the 1980s. Showbiz went out of business some time ago, but recently, performances by the animatronic house band Rock-afire Explosion have been showing up on YouTube: Electric Feel by MGMT or Love In This Club by Usher. And now it appears there’s a documentary about the lingering popularity of Rock-afire Explosion due out this Fall:

You can bet we’ll keep you posted!