Friday of Week Cinco at Fleisher

Our Friday at Fleisher Art Memorial (719 Catharine St) promises a powerful lineup of films that span continents and emotions—revealing what it means to create, to belong, and to let go. From punk rock and mural painting to spiritual family reckonings and lifelong friendship in the face of death, PHLAFF 2025’s June 27th program offers one of its most intimate and emotionally resonant days. Each block invites us to see the world not only through new stories, but with new eyes.

3:00 PM Art of Life Shorts Block

Categories: Los Shorts, LOLA Award – Shorts

A kaleidoscopic celebration of identity, color, protest, and resilience, this shorts block showcases emerging and award-winning filmmakers pushing artistic boundaries.

• PUNKS (U.S.)
  In a tender yet rebellious vignette, a lonely teenager escapes the static hum of everyday life by diving headfirst into the sweat and sound of a punk show. This short immerses us in fleeting euphoria and shows the music scene as both haven and battleground for identity.

• Khroma (Argentina)
  A haunting visual anthology structured around the primary colors—blue, yellow, and red—Khroma uses minimal dialogue and strong symbolism to depict fragmented human stories, delivering a visceral meditation on trauma, memory, and perception.

• Dime Ro (Mexico)
  A standout in LGBTQ+ storytelling, this film follows Romelia, a queer raver, as they navigate the intersection of identity, love, and transition. Through pulsing nightlife and raw interiority, Romelia’s evolution fractures and redefines their relationship with “El Flako,” forging space for self-authorship.

• Paint the City 2 (U.S.)
  Winner of Best Short Documentary at the Driftless Film Festival, this uplifting short follows youth and community volunteers as they bring a monumental mural to life in Appleton, Wisconsin. Featuring art by Neo Medina and music by Ricardo Jimenez, it’s a celebration of collaboration, culture, and reclamation.

• Mazapán (U.S.)
  Nostalgic and political, this short deconstructs the harmful caricatures imposed on Mexican immigrants in the U.S. through the lens of a childhood candy. Mazapán becomes a metaphor for sweetness, resilience, and cultural pride, pushing back against xenophobic narratives with grace and power.

• LA PICCOLA BALLERINA (Italy)
  In a quietly heartbreaking performance, a young dancer flees to another country to chase their dream and escape buried pain. The film delicately examines ambition, identity, and the emotional cost of leaving home—and the ghosts it harbors.

I'm With You, I'll Be There

5:00 PM

Category: Los Features

Grief and creativity intertwine in this evocative drama from the American Southwest. Jayce Castillo, a 20-something in Albuquerque, still reels from the deaths of her jazz musician parents. When she discovers a forgotten composition—“Siren”—it becomes a lifeline to her past and a compass for her future.

But as Jayce begins to emotionally reconnect with her roots, her boyfriend Blue sees a chance to exploit her vulnerability by recording the piece for his own musical gain. Set against the warm, restless backdrop of desert mornings and late-night jam sessions, this film explores artistry, legacy, and betrayal. I’m With You, I’ll Be There asks: who owns inspiration—and what happens when it’s stolen?

Family Drama Shorts Block

6:00 PM

Categories: Los Shorts, LOLA Award – Shorts

This emotionally piercing block focuses on domestic tension, generational gaps, and the quiet acts of defiance that define personal freedom.

• La espera (Puerto Rico)
  Alone in a birthing pool, Lili calls those closest to her—her doctor, her boyfriend, her parents—only to be met with excuses and absences. In the midst of physical and emotional labor, Lili must confront what it means to mother alone. Sardonic yet tragic, this short is a gut punch about abandonment and strength.

• Una Monedita (Argentina)
  Pablo spends his days washing windshields to survive. Between poverty, a volatile home life, and the cold indifference of the streets, he clings to hope while the world tests his limits. This portrait of urban resilience is as urgent as it is tender.

• 72 (U.S.)
  Set in 1972 New York City, Cuban immigrant Gloria finds her family’s fragile American dream shattered when her daughter announces her citizenship ceremony. Mother and daughter clash over generational identity, cultural loyalty, and the immigrant experience in a story that feels timely, textured, and personal.

• Lollie (Brazil/U.S.)
  A Brazilian lunch lady’s unusual bond with Lola, a 71-year-old woman with a mental disability, becomes a quiet act of resistance. Amid bureaucracy and societal judgment, she fights for Lola’s safety, friendship, and dignity. Lollie is a poignant tribute to invisible caregivers and the sanctity of chosen family.

La fábula de la tortuga y la flor / The Fable of the Turtle and the Flower

7:30 PM

This documentary-fiction hybrid is a love letter to friendship, mortality, and the creative process. When Eliana, a lifelong friend of the filmmaker, is diagnosed with a terminal illness, they begin filming their final shared moments. The camera becomes their companion, capturing the beauty in the mundane—the touch of a child’s hand, shared silences, and whispered goodbyes.

Rather than resisting the natural course of life, La fábula de la tortuga y la flor embraces it, finding profound depth in seemingly ordinary days. Set in Uruguay and Spain, the film becomes a mirror of existence: slow, painful, sometimes joyful—but always rooted in love.

🎟️ Tickets for all screenings are available now at Eventive. Don’t wait—these intimate, powerful experiences deserve to be seen on the big screen.