Have you ever heard of the SEPTA 47 bus? It is a well-traveled bus route that runs from top to bottom through the city from Whitman Plaza to Godfrey Avenue. On its journey, the historic route connects hundreds of people, neighborhoods, and cultures including the seemingly disparate Latino communities across the city. All of this is featured in a new short film called La Guagua 47.
The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Cultural Campus is excited and proud to partner with SEPTA, Al Día News Media, and Ritmo Lab to kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations with the premiere of this brand-new, Philadelphia-produced, short film on September 15th in the Perelman Theater. The event will have accompanying music, networking, post-film chat back, and party that is FREE and open to the public.
La Guagua 47 is a one-of-a-kind community cultural production that discusses the significance of SEPTA’s 47 bus to the Latinx community of Philadelphia. The film weaves the universal story of migration, belonging, and finding home in one another through the eyes of a young Latinx migrant arriving in Philadelphia and feeling very alone. One day she discovers the iconic SEPTA 47 bus and embarks on a journey that changes her life
La Guagua 47 personifies the 47 bus as a central character in helping Latinx communities find joy and belonging, while also demonstrating how public transportation supports society, economy, and multiculturalism. Filled with music, dance, and art that exudes the heart of Philadelphia, it is a film that is not to be missed. Check out the film’s trailer here.
The production has engaged over 100 Philadelphia artists and volunteers in its creation and many more community members as cultural event participants. Artists include filmmaker Pedro Escárcega, choreographer Christina Castro-Tauser, songwriter and producer Alba Martínez, dancer/protagonist Ashley Rivera, muralist César Viveros, and lead media/creative partners and associate producers Alaitz Ruiz-Arteagoitia and Martin Alfaro.
The premiere event will begin at 5PM with a pre-film networking event and then feature post-film Q&A with the creative team and a Latin dance party in the Plaza to follow. The event is FREE and open to the public. Food and drinks will be available for sale. Let us know you are coming with a FREE RSVP!