Resolution 230515

..Title Honoring and congratulating the Champions of the Week, the Youth Leaders and young filmmakers of the Big Picture Alliance, who will be premiering their original short films at this year's Big Picture Film Festival this month. ..Body WHEREAS, The Big Picture Alliance has been helping young filmmakers break into the industry for the past 30 years. Founded as a filmmaking apprenticeship program for underserved youth, BPA has helped over 9,000 young Philadelphians tell their stories and find their voice; and WHEREAS, The Big Picture Alliance mentors filmmakers from concept, through production to release. They help finance and provide the infrastructure for youth creativity here in the City of Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, BPA's Youth Leaders, of Via Lux Media, a youth-led media collective, are Jordany Uceta, Jose Quintana, Aaliyah Fisher, Theo Wyss-Flamm, Amanda Smith, Jasmin Carter, Michelle Wu, and Cindy Pham. Together, they share experiences directing, writing, editing, producing and publicizing their films; and WHEREAS, BPA has collaborated with local community and media organizations such as PhillyCam, Scribe Video Center, MyNewPhilly, Comcast, NBC 10, RecPhilly, Philadelphia Film Society, Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rough Cut Film Fest, BlackStar Film Fest, helping propel young filmmakers reach a larger audience; and WHEREAS, BPA films have covered a myriad of personal topics, such as gentrification in West Philadelphia ("Stories from the Promise Zone"), exploring African ancestry through DNA ("We Are Sankofa"), among others; and WHEREAS, The Big Picture Alliance holds after-school and summer programs, as well as a Future Filmmakers program offering paid experience to youth filmmakers; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby congratulate and honor the Champions of the Week the Youth Leaders and young filmmakers of the Big Picture Alliance, who will be premiering their original short films at this year's Big Picture Film Festival this month. FURTHER RESOLVED, That an engrossed copy be presented to the family of the Big Picture Alliance, further evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body ..End