Philly’s biggest film fest is this weekend | Things to Do

I’ve been thinking a lot about space, and it’s not just because of the news that UFOs and extraterrestrial life forms may be real. Nikki Giovanni, the iconic poet who turned 80 in June, dreams of space travel and making contact with aliens. She spoke with me — Zooming in from her home in Virginia — about the new documentary on her life and legacy. Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project screens at the BlackStar Film Festival this weekend. (Story out tomorrow!)

This weekend, explore the amazing lineup at BlackStar, keep up with our Women’s World Cup coverage, sample a 15-course sushi dinner, and find a new read.

One more thing: I want to try something new. As much as we cover things to do happening around Philly, I know that there’s tons of amazing activities, sights, and events that may be off our radar — and that’s where you come in. What’s YOUR thing? Have a wonderful theater rec? Is there a not-so-secret mural or new gallery you’re exploring? I want to hear from you!

We plan to feature your thing-to-do in an upcoming newsletter — one recommendation for an event, cultural experience, or local venue that you’d suggest for our intrepid and adventurous readers looking to get out and enjoy Philadelphia and its vibrant arts and culture scene. (And if you tried sending me your rec last week, I apologize for the incorrect link! All fixed now, type away — and thank you for sharing.)

📮 Send me 200 words on your thing, and be sure to include a photo!

— Rosa Cartagena (@_RosaCartagena, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

The buzzy fest, now in its 12th year, is dedicated to Black, brown, and Indigenous filmmakers from all over the country and world to share experimental, boundary-pushing, incredible works, from shorts to feature-length films. We’ve got a guide to everything you need to know before attending; a roundup of the films that we at The Inquirer are most excited to see; and a look at the Philly filmmakers featured in the fest.

🍣 Date night idea: Can you eat 15 courses of sushi in an hour? (Yes, sign me up.) Find the fishy fun at Kichi, a new restaurant in Washington Square West.

🌴 Fly on the wall: A new play transports audiences to a retirement community in Boca Raton, where the condo-association drama runs high.

🌹 Fringe is coming: Queer cabaret shows, a David Bowie tribute, and circus classes are a tiny sliver of almost 300 performances unfolding across Philadelphia in September. Explore what’s coming.

🎸 Prepare for the Boss: Ahead of Springsteen’s Philly tour stops, a new exhibit displays intimate and stunning photographs of the Boss from the 1970s.

⚽ The competition’s fire: The Women’s World Cup continues to heat up as we get closer to the finals, and we’ve got a roundup of everything you need to know, from where to watch to who to watch.

🌽 What the shuck: Corn is having a moment in Philly. Here’s where to find corn pasta, salads, and more.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Stop by the Barnes Foundation for First Friday, dance all night at Dahlak’s Slide Thru, and bring your doggo to FloofaPawlooza.

I had the amazing opportunity to interview Nikki Giovanni last week, and the iconic poet was so generous with her time and open with her answers. Truly, I could hear her talk about any topic for hours — her voice is spellbinding and, you might not expect it, but she’s also extremely funny. In our conversation, Giovanni touched on everything from greeting aliens to the war in Ukraine to Tony Bennett to the Life of Pi and even Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. She imparted lessons on love and loss and talked about how she never leaves a line of fans awaiting a photo or autograph. Mainly, though, we talked about space. Here’s a little excerpt:

I’m not afraid of a life form that is different from myself…If another life form is coming to Earth, they can drop by my house, and I’ll do what Black women always do. ‘Come on in baby, are you hungry?’ Because that’s what Black women do, no matter what it is. We save life whenever we can, and we feed it. And we welcome that…We on Earth need to teach the youngsters starting really early that they are earthlings, this is what we are, because we share a planet. More so than you are a boy or you are a girl, or you are Black or white, or brown or yellow, more than the religion you practice...None of that is so important as the fact that we share a planet and that this planet is in the middle. These are things we know. This planet is in the middle of a galaxy, and there is another or many other life forms that we need to start preparing ourselves to greet.

📚 Beach read: Con artists, funny essays, and spooky sci-fi — we’ve got 10 new books to read this month.

🍻 New happy hour alert: Summer Swigs comes to East Passyunk, here’s what to expect.

🍍 Weird flex, but O.K.: One Direction stans are trekking to Scranton to visit the TikTok-famous smoothie shop with a themed menu and life-sized Harry Styles cutout.

🍸 Sip a savory martini: A cocktail bar in Delco has a caprese martini combining the flavors of mozzarella, tomato, and basil…in liquid form. You try it first.

📮 There’s still time to vote for your favorite restaurants, dishes and more in our Readers’ Choice Awards!

Which one of these is NOT a Nikki Giovanni poem?

A) “And Still I Rise”

B) “Ego Tripping”

C) “Mothers”

D) “Rosa Parks”

📮 To let me know which of the above is false, write me back.

This week I watched the funny new John Boyega movie, They Cloned Tyrone, with a soundtrack to remember and an unsettling conspiracy plot. What’s on your watch list? Let me know!