As we prepare to turn the corner into August—and a two-week hiatus here at BSR—I've been contemplating the artworks that have made me who I am. This contemplation is actually more like an active exercise in remembering: I'm revisiting films and TV shows that I haven't engaged with in a long time, paying closer attention to details and reading about the productions themselves. I'm listening to my favorite albums, challenging myself as to why or what truly makes them such favorites. I've dug deep into my book and gaming backlogs, dabbling for quick tastes to refresh the palette before making any thoughtful, intentional commitments to what needs to be deeply re-explored. It's like I'm rediscovering myself and finding new words and languages to express my own formative interests. Anyone else out there doing anything similar? Anyone itching to reconnect with their favorites—current and old?
You can get a glimpse of that happening in Philly this week. The BlackStar Film Festival is always a great chance to reconnect with our past to understand our present and to paint our future. The Philadelphia Women's Theatre Festival is a chance to consider legacy, innovation, and courage against all odds. And with smell being the strongest sense tied to memory, Brandon Leung might have an aromatic burning light for you, too.
I think many of us are on the path to remembering, more than we may realize. What do you hope to remember and recall back into your life, like seeing an old friend for the first time?
