An intriguing-sounding event taking place tonight, at the 2nd annual BlackStar Film Festival in Philly, which is currently underway.

The detes:

BlackStar Film Festival and King Britt present The Brother From Another Planet (re-contextualized) at Johnny Brenda’s. The Brother From Another Planet (re-contextualized) is a concept idea to provide a more abstract view of the cult classic. Using advanced visual remixing techniques, we intend to deconstruct the viewpoint into a more freeform storyline, which the audience can interpret in their way. Simultaneously, Afrofuturist instrumentalists, will improvise a live score, while the visuals are deconstructed, allowing for a very open and spacious sonic environment. Using a combination of analog and digital electronic instruments to build the musical palette. This is an in the moment experience and will only happen once. 100% improvised and free from construct.

I’ve been a fan of John Sayles since Brother From Another Planet. I haven’t loved every film, but I dig his unwavering indie spirit. He came from the same *school* as directors like Martin Scorcese and James Cameron – working early in their careers with Roger Corman.

Sayles penned a few screenplays for Corman in the late 1970s/early 1980s, and it’s primarily through screenwriting Sayles has been able to survive – writing scripts (or sometimes rewriting) for higher-budgeted studios pictures, and using the money earned from those gigs to help fund his low-budget directorial efforts (like the above) – films that often tell stories centered around the *under-represented* and marginalized, from all walks of life.

Joe Morton starred in Brother From Another Planet, a film for which I’ve read several different interpretations of. The narrative in the low-key dramedy about the adventures of a black extraterrestrial – the ”Brother” of the title – who comes to earth to escape slavery on Planet X, makes for wonderful fodder for dissection. And I’m curious to see/hear/feel what the festival and King Britt are up to here.

So, for all our readers in that part of the USA (and I know there are many of you in Philly), check out tonight’s event, and also the rest of the festival’s offerings.

Check out the poster art advertising the King Britt/Brother From Another Planet below: