The 10 best documentaries set in Philly
From the MOVE bombing, to Larry Krasner, Sonia Sanchez, and Malcolm Kenyatta, Philly's documentaries tell the stories of its communities.
Philadelphia is marked by generations of fictional films that have defined the city, but the city’s rich history and its extraordinary people also lend themselves to some great stories that are all true.
This list of Philadelphia documentaries highlights some of the most pressing stories that have impacted generations of the city’s residents — several of which chronicle the MOVE standoff and bombing. These films come together to form a kaleidoscope of stories documenting the diversity of our great city.
‘The Bombing of Osage Avenue’ (1987)
West Philadelphia’s Cobbs Creek neighborhood is marked by the 1985 bombing of homes by the Philadelphia Police during a standoff with MOVE, a black liberation organization. Louis Massiah, a prolific filmmaker and founder of the West Powelton-based media arts nonprofit Scribe Video Center, released The Bombing of Osage Avenue only two years after the bombing. The film goes back in time to look at the history of fires in Black communities in Philly, interviews Cobbs Creek neighbors that witnessed the bombing, and weaves it all together with a voiceover by Toni Cade Bambara. The film serves as a powerful oral history and is a testament to the power of the neighborhood’s resilience armed with community-based filmmaking. Another quintessential Philadelphia film directed by Massiah is W.E.B. DuBois: A Biography in Four Voices (1996), which united seminal Black writers to speak on DuBois and his legacy.
‘Let the Fire Burn’ (2013)
Let the Fire Burn uses archival footage to document the events that led up to the bombing and the deadly decision of city officials to demolish over 60 homes. The film oscillates between footage of the commission that reviewed the bombing of MOVE, the questioning of city officials and police officers, and news footage from the standoff and bombing. The film is a striking document of city officials’ decision to “let the fire burn” after bombing the MOVE rowhouse and its detrimental impact on those who lost their homes and lives, and even on those who survived.
‘40 Years a Prisoner’ (2020)
The 1978 Philadelphia police raid of the MOVE commune led to a shootout, the death of a police officer, and subsequent arrest of nine MOVE members including Debbie Africa and Mike Africa. While incarcerated, Debbie gave birth to Mike Africa Jr., who spent over 40 years fighting for the release of his parents. 40 Years a Prisoner follows Mike Africa Jr. as he works with a team of lawyers and conducts in-depth research to free his parents. The film is a powerful document of the resilient love we hold for our families. Another short documentary, I’m Free Now, You Are Free (2020), by Ash Goh Hua, also focuses on this very special but frayed bond between the son and his mother.
‘The Art of the Steal’ (2009)
The Barnes Foundation is a true Philadelphia gem. But this film makes the case that some of the largest philanthropists in the city played an ego-driven game of theft and revenge to move the Barnes collection from Lower Merion Township to Philly. Filmmakers Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce documented the heated debates and protests in 2009 leading up to the foundation’s official move to the city in 2012. The Art of the Steal interviews former Barnes Foundation trustees and gallery experts to make the case for a seedy truth underlying the “theft” of the collection.
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‘Secret Daughter’ (1996)
Secret Daughter, directed by John Baynard and June Cross, excavates Cross’ personal history to tell a gripping story about race and family. Cross, born to Black comedian and Philly native James Cross and white actress Norma Booth, grew up knowing she was adopted — a lie her mother told to uphold the family’s upper-class status. James Cross was part of the comedic duo Stump and Stumpy, whose routines were later co-opted by white comics. June Cross’ story tells a tale about race using gripping interviews and personal archives to talk about the divide between us.
‘Philly D.A.’ (2021)
In an unusual act as an elected official, District Attorney Larry Krasner invited filmmakers Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, and Nicole Salazar to film his administration’s plans to shake up Philly’s political status quo. Philly D.A. is an eight-part series that exposes some of the most important moments in recent Philly political history. The series paints a balanced portrait of Krasner and his team, depicting their eager idealism and stubborn refusal to cooperate with the larger system. The series stands as a tour de force of investigative filmmaking.
Watch on Apple TV and Prime Video
‘Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn’ (2023)
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Malcolm Kenyatta is a powerhouse in the political scene. He is currently a Pennsylvania state representative for the 181st district in Philadelphia and Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn documents his groundbreaking race for U.S. Senate, becoming the first out LGBTQ person of color to run for the seat. The film also weaves in Kenyatta’s love story, providing a grounding of hope and healing throughout the difficult Senate race.
Watch on Tubi and Amazon
‘Quest’ (2017)
Following the Rainey family in North Philadelphia, Quest documents over a decade of their ups and downs as they navigate running their music studio, mentoring young rappers, raising young daughter P.J., and advocating for their community. The film touches on a number of important topics affecting Philadelphians like gun violence, addiction, and coming out. Quest is a uniquely Philadelphia story depicting the complexity and beauty of family life and all its facets in the city.
‘BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez’ (2015)
Immortalizing the life of Philadelphia’s first poet laureate, Sonia Sanchez, the film looks at her legacy and the impact of her poetry on the next generation of rappers and poets. Sanchez’s prolific life underscores the larger movement for Black liberation and the film does a great job of doing justice to her resilience and genius. BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez talks about Sanchez’s bad ass-est moments from her time advocating for Black women in the Black Arts Movement, the Black Panthers, and the Black Power movement — peppered with quotes from Philly icons like Questlove and Ursula Rucker.
‘Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project’ (2019)
Marion Stokes cohosted the Philadelphia public access television show Input with her husband John S. Stokes Jr. In 1979, when the 24-hour TV news cycle first began, Marion Stokes began recording what was on her television screen, amassing an impressive collection of VHS tapes. Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project dives into Stokes’ life and dedication to fighting misinformation while holding television news channels accountable. Stokes’ story is that of a life dedicated to protecting public access to TV, and upholding a community’s right to technology, knowledge, and narrative power.
Kristal Sotomayor is a Latinx independent filmmaker based in South Philadelphia.