CinéSPEAK Under The Stars bringing music, food, and indie cinema together

On May 29, CinéSPEAK will launch the latest edition of their CinéSPEAK Under The Stars summer festival, a consistent highlight of Philly’s summer season.

For the past 13 years, CinéSPEAK arthouse cinema and journal has operated as one of the city’s best presenters of independent films from around the world. From their Movie Mondays series hosted at Two Locals to their 3rd Thursdays run showcasing radical films at Vox Populi, CinéSPEAK has played an indispensable role in deepening Philadelphia’s love of indie cinema. 

The Under the Stars Film Festival, is an outdoor series of screenings taking place every Friday night from May 29 through June 19. Hosted at the bowl in West Philly’s Clark Park, the series is fun, family-friendly and centered around community. Each week, the screenings will be preceded by live music performances and DJs, while local food trucks offer up tasty eats for attendees.

Exploring the theme of community resilience, this year’s lineup of films is particularly strong. On opening night, CinéSPEAK will screen the 2026 Sundance Award-winner Everybody to Kenmure Street. A gripping documentary about a community in Glasgow’s resistance to immigration raids, the film is indicative of CinéSPEAK’s willingness to show films that take a principled moral and political stand. In the second week, the festival will show Steal This Story, Please!, a sprawling documentary exploring the life and work of Democracy Now! journalist Amy Goodman. Rounding out the program is Niñxs, a gorgeous coming-of-age story about a young transgender person and TCB: The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing. With each film highlighting a different aspect of how communities persevere, Under The Stars promises to be as inspiring as it is entertaining.

Opening Night – May 29, 2026
Everybody to Kenmure Street

• Musical Guests: Mariposas Galácticas and DJ Ripley
• Food and Beverage Vendors: Tokio Sushi Truck and Two Locals Brewing Company
• On-Site Advocacy and Cultural Organizations: Asian Americans United (AAU), Center for Integration and Migrant Support (CIMS), Food Not Bombs Philly, Juntos, No Ice Philly, Sharing Excess, and West Philly Porchfest

Week 2 – June 5
Steal This Story, Please!
Abolition Conversations: Episode 1

• Musical Guests: Vinyl Tap 215 presents DJs DuiJi 13 and Aura
• Food and Beverage Vendors: Meatz by Meez and Two Locals Brewing Company
• On-Site Advocacy and Cultural Organizations: Free Press, The Leeway Foundation, Video Consortium PHL, WHYY, Writer’s Room at Drexel, and PhillyCAM

Week 3 – June 12
Niñxs

• Musical Guest: DJ Vicenta
• Food and Beverage Vendors: Burrito Feliz and Two Locals Brewing Company
• On-Site Advocacy and Cultural Organizations: Gender Justice Fund, and grantees

Closing Night – June 19
TCB: The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing

• Musical Guests: Clubfriends Records and Radio presents DJs Nine of Wands and Afro Fem
• Food and Beverage Vendors: Pot of Essence, The Coffee Club, and Two Locals Brewing Company
• On-Site Advocacy and Cultural Organizations: Be Reel Black Cinema Club, Writer’s Room at Drexel