By Lauren Lipton

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The BlackStar Film Festival is a first for Philadelphia.  It begins Thursday, August 2nd,  and continues through Sunday, August 5th.

“It’s a celebration of cinema focused on work by and about people of African descent in a global context,” says Philadelphia native Muhammida El Muhajir, the creative director for Frank White Events, in Brooklyn.

“There are a lot of premieres, there are a lot of hip-hop people and directors and producers.  Byron Hurt will be premiering his ‘Soul Food Junkies,’ ” she tells KYW Newsradio.

(A frame from “Soul Food Junkies,” getting its world premiere on Sunday, Aug. 5th, at International House in University City.)

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The last event of the film fest is a “Philly vs. Brooklyn” event.

“We’re bringing a taste of Brooklyn to Philly,” says El Muhajir.  “There will be an art exhibition with artists from both cities, live musical performances, a pop-up shop featuring designers and brands, and there will be a lounge with food and drink.”

This follows an earlier event where Philly went to Brooklyn.

“We really, really did bring a taste of Philly to Brooklyn –  like soft pretzels, and we brought water ice from Philly because the water ice in New York is just really not the same.”

For more information on locations, the schedule, and more, go to blackstarfest.org.

And that’s “Positively Philadelphia!”

“Positively Philadelphia” main page

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