Media Film Festival over two weekends, two venues
Delco Health Department brings ‘Strollin’ Colon’ to courthouse to raise colorectal cancer awareness
MEDIA » The Media Arts Council (MAC) will hold the 17th Annual Media Film Festival over two weekends and at two venues this spring.
Film fans can enjoy a movie tavern experience at Media’s Towne House on March 29 and 30 and return to the borough again, April 4-6 for three more days of world-class independent short films at Media Theatre.
MAC rolls out the red carpet for the lineup of 52 films, highlighting outstanding local, national, and global talent. Films were chosen from over 125 submissions.
International filmmakers from Colombia, Faroe Islands, Germany, Netherlands, Canada, France, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Spain, and Turkey will join national and local talent. The extraordinary program features diverse genres, including drama, comedy, documentary, experimental, animation, and student films. The Friday Night Horror lineup on Friday, April 5 shows seven horror films.
The festival is a critically acclaimed event that cements Media’s role as a vital destination for arts and culture.
Brad Sukala, council board secretary and committee chair for the festival says, “It’s exciting to see the Media Film Festival continue to evolve, even after 17 years. We’re thrilled to be back in the Media Theatre with all its grandeur and classic theater vibes. This year, we’re doubling down on screenings, by adding a second weekend of movie tavern style screenings at Media’s Towne House. There’s something for everyone between these two venues and our wide variety of films!”
Seating at the Towne House screenings is extremely limited, so guests are advised to get tickets in advance.
A favorite from the 2023 festival, local filmmaker Josh Raff returns with “Man Down II” to tell the story of his character’s encounter with an old nemesis at their childhood tennis club. It’s an epic revenge tale where the stakes couldn’t be lower.
Weaving geopolitics and current events into a historical context, Turkish filmmaker Volkan Girgin wonders if those who ignore history are bound to repeat it in “Hope.” This story spans time, tying today’s headlines of immigration to those from centuries ago.
The festival’s horror lineup will include local favorite Michael Trainotti screening of “Scratch,” a story of a father-son weekend adventure that becomes a fight for survival.
The next generation of imaginative moviemakers is fostered by the MAC Film Initiative (MACFI). Since 2012, MACFI has given area teens the opportunity to learn filmmaking firsthand. The MFF shows three MACFI films this year, including “Stall,” which depicts an active shooter drill from the perspective of a foreign exchange student who did not grow up practicing for a school shooting.
MACFI instructor Darryl Ridgeway says, “MACFI taps into the imagination of our talented high school students in the Greater Philadelphia region. It’s the place where our future film directors, producers, actors, and production crew are born to create films to share with the local community and the world.”
Over $1,000 in cash prizes will be presented on Saturday, April 6, after the regular evening’s screening program. The AruffoRim jury awards will be presented and followed by the coveted Golden Trolley grand prize. Award winners will be posted on the Festival website.
To purchase tickets online and for more information visit http://www.mediafilmfestival.org.
The council is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission to actively support local artists and integrate arts into the life of the community. MAC achieves this mission by providing professional artists with opportunities to exhibit, sell or perform, infusing Media with public art installations, providing arts education classes, and offering community arts events.
The MAC Art Center is at 11 E. State St., Media. To learn more about or donate to MAC, visit http:// www.mediaartscouncil.org, call 484-445-4161 or email info@mediaartscouncil. org.
MAC is supported by the Borough of Media, Rhile Carpentry, Morris Brothers Investments, Rafferty Subaru and Aqua.
More than $1.8 million in funding designated for Chester Upland School District
State Reps. Carol Kazeem and Leanne Krueger announced last week that Chester Upland School District has been awarded more than $1.83 million in funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to establish safe, healthy and supportive learning environments in its schools.
According to the lawmakers who represent families with children attending the school district, the grant comes from the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, Stronger Connections Grant program. The school district will spend the money to promote the social, emotional, physical and mental wellbeing of students and staff; address family and community engagement; and promote equitable and inclusive policies and practices.
More than $39 million in BSCA Stronger Connections Grant funding was awarded to 39 school entities in 21 counties across the state. The list of all awardees can be found at https://tinyurl. com/mr2699eb.
Delco Health Department brings ‘Strollin’ Colon’ to courthouse steps
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and in recognition, the Delaware County Health Department, in partnership with Jefferson Health, will bring the “Strollin’ Colon” to the Delaware County Courthouse steps, 201 W. Front St., Media, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 21.
The “Strollin’ Colon” is a unique and informational inflated walk-thru tunnel. The “Strollin’ Colon” features a visually prominent inflatable replica of the human colon, inviting residents to take a walk through it and learn more about the importance of colon cancer prevention and screening. This interactive experience is designed to make important health information accessible and raise awareness about colorectal cancer.
In 2024, an estimated 152,810 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the U.S., and early detection through regular screening can greatly increase chances of successful treatment. Through the “Strollin’ Colin,” attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.
In addition to the free walk-through experience, there will be informational materials available, as well as opportunities to speak with health care professionals about colorectal cancer screening education and prevention.
For more information, contact the Delaware County Wellness Line at 484-276-2100 or DelcoWellness@co.delaware.pa.us.
Tinicum Library presents ‘The Secret Garden’ activity for children
The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, in conjunction with the Longwood Gardens 2024 Community Read book, “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, will present a program at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17 at the Tinicum Memorial Public Library, 620 Seneca St., Essington. The program is for students in grades K-5,
In the book, “The Secret Garden,” the characters discover a secret all their own. Kids can learn to love the outdoors through this interactive book reading and should be prepared to get dirty hands. Parents can register their children at http://tinicumlibrary.org/ events.
More than $80K in unclaimed property returned to three Delco municipalities
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity and state Sen. Timothy Kearney announced last week that more than $80,000 in unclaimed property has been returned to Prospect Park, Springfield Township and Upper Darby Township.
Here’s how the $81,312 being returned is divided among the three municipalities: Prospect Park, $13,568; Springfield, $27,610; and Upper Darby, $40,135.
Properties returned include funds from accounts payable checks, cashier’s checks, credit balances, refund/rebates, uncashed checks, and other forms of unclaimed property.
Borough and township officials will decide how the funds are spent.
Garrity has returned more than $16.5 million to 75 local government agencies, including counties, municipalities and school districts, since taking office. Treasury is working to return more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property to its rightful owners. More than 1 in 10 Pennsylvanians is owed unclaimed property, and the average claim is worth about $1,600.
Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance policies, contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes and more. State law requires businesses to report unclaimed property to Treasury after three years of dormancy.
To learn more about unclaimed property or to search Treasury’s database to see who is owed money, visit http://patreasury.gov/ unclaimed-property.
Clifton Heights gets $14K in police grants
The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced 31 new law enforcement agencies have been selected to receive Law Enforcement Recruitment grant funding, bringing the total number of accepted applicants to 51 since the solicitation opened in October 2023.
In Delaware County, Clifton Heights will receive $14,000
“Every Pennsylvanian deserves to feel safe in their communities, and making sure communities have enough police officers on the beat is a key component for public safety,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, chair of PCCD. “Through this funding law enforcement entities can fill gaps which will in turn improve safety in our communities.”
So far through PCCD’s Law Enforcement Recruitment Incentives solicitation, 51 selected entities are receiving a combined total of just over $2 million in funding to hire and train approximately 412 vacant law enforcement positions across the Commonwealth.