SIFTMedia Collective

Second Screening: Sun. Aug 30, 2026 7:30pm
Location: Pentridge Station Pop-up (5116 Pentridge St. Philadelphia, PA 19143)

Join us outdoors at Pentridge Station for a curated night of local, international, and award-winning short films, plus discussion and live performance!

Film Program:

The Seeds We Carry (USA / 2026 / 28 MIN)
Dir. Gabriele Paterson (SIFTer) Film Won Two Awards at BSFF26
The Seeds We Carry is a short documentary weaving intimate portraits of community farm stewards in Southwest Philadelphia. Through the rhythms of planting, cooking, and sharing food, the protagonists reveal how everyday acts of care and resistance nurture belonging, forge cross-cultural kinship, and preserve a sense of home amid the pressures of displacement in a rapidly changing city.

I Spoke to a Tomato Plant (USA / 2026 / 29 MIN) 
Dir. Christian Hayden
I Spoke to a Tomato Plant follows gardeners in the Mantua and Belmont area of Philadelphia as they share their experience of gardening and building relationships towards healing past traumas. Layered with a soundscape of Philadelphia musicians, ISTATP is an ode to connection, both plant and human, as well as the capacity for change.

PAPI STORE (USA / 2026 / 10 MIN)
Dir. Anthony M. Rivera
PAPI STORE is a documentary series that traces the cultural and economic roots of the neighborhood corner store—from the colmado in the Dominican Republic to the “papi store” in Philadelphia. Through intimate interviews and immersive street-level footage, the series honors immigrant business owners who built spaces of survival, resilience, and community within a capitalist landscape. These spaces serve as cultural anchors, exploring how businesses sustain neighborhoods facing food deserts and affordability challenges. By connecting the Caribbean diaspora experience to urban America, the series uplifts the legacy of the colmado as both a lifeline and a living archive of culture.

Woven From Nature (USA / 2026 / 8 MIN)
Dir. Black Fiber & Textile Network (bftn)
Black Fiber & Textile Network’s short documentary is about Black farmers, artists, and businesses creating in reverence of the earth and each other.

PANELIST FACILITATOR: Khaliah D. Pitts  | @the_kdp  
a storyteller and cultural memory worker exploring identity, liberation, and the power of re-membering. She connects with communities through culinary curation, community archiving, and land-based rituals. Khaliah is the co-founder of Our Mothers’ Kitchens, a culturally restorative food and land storytelling project for Black folks, and the host of The Writers’ Circle, a sacred gathering for Black and Brown writers.

Live performance by Koof Ibi

Koof Ibi is a versatile multi-instrumentalist based in the Philadelphia area. He is frequently seen performing alongside brass bands such as The West Philadelphia Orchestra on Broad Street, as well as sharing stages with notable acts like Japanese Breakfast and Moor Mother during their local performances. With a breadth of experience across various musical genres prevalent in Philadelphia, Koof seamlessly integrates these influences into his unique musical expression. In his solo endeavors, Koof skillfully blends live instrumentation, live-looping, and effects to craft dynamic soundscapes, inventive reinterpretations of familiar tunes, and immersive musical experiences.

Black Earth Ag Hub

Instagram: @blackearthag

Mission: The Black Earth Ag Hub is the flagship initiative of Nriife Roots Collective, whose primary aim is to be a catalyst for the holistic betterment of the African diasporic community. As such, the Hub is focused on strengthening Black food producers and increasing access to fresh food in Black communities across Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Scribe Video Center

Instagram: @scribevideocenter

Mission: Scribe Video Center’s mission is to explore, develop, and advance the use of digital media as an artistic means for creative expression and as tools for progressive social change. Scribe is a metaphor for the use of media to record significant historical and contemporary concerns and events, with emphasis on individuals and community groups that have limited resources and have been denied access to media production technology because of race, ethnicity, age, income, or gender.