The Philadelphia Film Society (PFS) is excited to announce it has received a generous two-year grant from the William Penn Foundation to expand its transformative in-school film education residencies, bringing high-impact, hands-on filmmaking experiences to hundreds of underserved students across Philadelphia.
With support from the Foundation, PFS will deliver over 60 weeks of immersive instruction in filmmaking by June 2027. These residencies will give more than 200 marginalized youth the tools, training, and mentorship needed to tell their own stories, connect with professional filmmakers, and envision creative futures in the arts and media.
Key components of the expanded program include:
- In-class, hands-on filmmaking instruction led by working artists and educators
- Free field trips to PFS venues, where students will engage with world-class cinema
- Guest visits from industry professionals, including directors, producers, and editors
“This generous investment from the William Penn Foundation allows us to reach more young people with meaningful, creative opportunities that foster self-expression, confidence, and professional possibility,” said J. Andrew Greenblatt, CEO and Executive Director of the Philadelphia Film Society. “We’re honored to help students see themselves as storytellers and filmmakers, and support their growth through every stage of the process.”
Through the filmmaking residencies, PFS provides direct instruction in media literacy and filmmaking to more than 100 students annually, with individualized curricula co-developed by teaching artists and partner schools to ensure alignment with students’ learning needs and passions.
These residencies offer sustained, hands-on engagement, providing students with field trips to experience world-class cinema, opportunities to work directly with film industry professionals, and culminating showcases where students share their work with peers and even the broader community. All student participants will produce and exhibit at least one original film project. The program reflects PFS’s deep commitment to film as both a cultural and educational tool and its belief that access to the arts should be a right, not a privilege.
To learn more about the Philadelphia Film Society’s residency program, visit filmadelphia.org.
