The Mummers parade is a staple of the city’s New Year’s Day celebration. It’s known for bacchanalian revelry and a history of controversial and racist performances and is, in part, funded by city tax-payer dollars.
My short film, “New Divisions”, documents a critical moment in the parade’s history—the inclusion of a small set of cultural and performance groups of color as they prepare for and join the parade for the first time. The film highlights the rich performance traditions of marginalized communities while questioning whether the addition of a so-called “New Division” into the parade truly indicates a move toward meaningful inclusivity and away from racism. “New Divisions” aims to generate important and necessary dialogue around racism and white supremacy in Philadelphia’s past and present.
In this clip we’re introduced to Catzie. She explains her initial exposure to the Mummers and undertakes parade preparations with the organization SE x SE.
"Curtrina: What Happens To Your Children?" is filmed, directed, and edited by Sarah Milinski. It is a part of a multimedia project- "Back To School" by Sarah Milinski, Sahar Coston-Hardy, Lendl Tellington, and Marco Hill. Originally exhibited at Gravy Studio and Gallery, this project later included in reForm, an art installation by Macarthur genius, Pepon Osorio, and the youth of Fairhill Elementary.
The project is concerned with capturing the students, parents, teachers, and spaces of Philadelphia's underfunded School district. This exhibit looks at the toll a budget-stricken school district has on Philadelphia’s communities, while highlighting the people who are working to change what has been called one of the nation's most inequitable school systems.
"Devonne: I Feel Completely Free" is filmed, directed, and edited by Sarah Milinski, with additional camera work by Lendl Tellington. It is a part of a multimedia project- "Back To School" by Sarah Milinski, Sahar Coston-Hardy, Lendl Tellington, and Marco Hill. Originally exhibited at Gravy Studio and Gallery, this project later included in reForm, an art installation by Macarthur genius, Pepon Osorio, and the youth of Fairhill Elementary.
The project is concerned with capturing the students, parents, teachers, and spaces of Philadelphia's underfunded School district. This exhibit looks at the toll a budget-stricken school district has on Philadelphia’s communities, while highlighting the people who are working to change what has been called one of the nation's most inequitable school systems.
In this representative footage, we’re introduced to a transgender street performer who has been performing up and down a stretch of highway in Baltimore, Maryland for decades. Camera/ Directing: David Sloan and Sarah Milinski. Editing: David Sloan.
Representative footage of a preliminary fieldwork about the medicinal plant culture in Paraguay. Filmed by Bettina Escauriza, edited by Sarah Milinski
