Lights, Camera, America: The Neumann Inspires Film Festival Is a Delco Don't-Miss

April 17–18, 2026 | Bruder Life Center, Neumann University

What does America look like through a camera lens? That's the question at the heart of the 2026 Neumann Inspires Film Festival — and this year, it's personal. In its fourth year, the festival is leaning all the way into the America 250 theme, and the lineup proves that the ideas woven into our founding documents — life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness — still stir something in people across the globe. Neumann received film submissions from 36 countries. Thirty-six. Turns out, those "very American phrases" resonate far beyond our borders.

"“We received film submissions from 36 countries, and by exploring timeless ideas like ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,’ discovered how these very American phrases actually resonate across the world," said Sara McDermott Jain, festival director. "It's a powerful reminder of what the spirit of America stands for globally."

This free, two-day celebration of visual storytelling runs Friday and Saturday, April 17 and 18, at Neumann University's Bruder Life Center. And yes — it's free. All of it. 

Friday Kicks Things Off Right

The festival opens Friday evening with a 6 p.m. screening of Colewell, the feature film starring Karen Allen. It's the story of Nora, a rural Pennsylvania postmaster of 35 years who faces an impossible choice when the USPS decides to close her office: relocate or retire. Director Tom Quinn — a LaSalle and Temple graduate and Drexel professor — will lead a Q&A with the audience after the film. The night closes at 9 p.m. with a selection of six short films, including four made by students.

Saturday Is Packed (In the Best Way)

Saturday's lineup is built around five American themes that feel both timeless and timely: Life. Liberty. The Pursuit of Happiness. The Home of the Brave. The Melting Pot. Short film screenings run every hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., each collection organized around one of those themes. The 12 p.m. block includes Normandy — a 52-minute documentary following four young adults who accompany World War II veterans back to the beaches and battlefields where they fought. It's the kind of film that reminds you that freedom has a human face, a human cost, and a story worth knowing. 

At 3 p.m., the conversation continues with a panel discussion: "The Influence of Film in Preserving (and Erasing) History." Panelists include Sam Katz — former Philadelphia mayoral candidate and documentary filmmaker — and Tilottama Karlekar, a scholar whose work traces the relationship between media and social movements. It's the kind of conversation Delco should be having in 2026. Then at 4 p.m., the festival screens Episodes 3 and 4 of Katz's new documentary series, In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America — a sweeping exploration of American history, democracy, and identity told through the story of one city. 

_{The Neumann Inspires Film Festival will screen two episodes of In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America in which Adele Rylands portrays Betsy Ross. [Photo courtesy of History Making Productions.]}

Sprinkled throughout Saturday are hands-on workshops in improv, directing, and stage combat — open to beginners and experienced filmmakers alike. The evening wraps with a 6:30 comedy presentation, a performance by the NU Dance Team, and at 7:30 p.m., an awards ceremony with raffle baskets and live music by the NU Jazz Band. It's a full day.

The Neumann Inspires Film Festival isn't just a great event — it's exactly the kind of Community Program Partner America250PADelco is proud to spotlight. Delaware County's America 250 commemoration has always been about more than flags and fireworks. It's about stories. The stories we've told about ourselves. The stories we've left out. The stories that still need to be told. Film does that work better than almost any other medium — and this festival, with its mix of student voices, veteran stories, historical documentary, and global submissions, is doing that work in a way that is distinctly Delco and unmistakably American. This is one of 100+ programs, events, and projects taking place across Delaware County as part of America250PADelco's commemoration of the nation's Semiquincentennial. We're proud to call Neumann University one of our partners.

Plan Your Visit

📅 Friday, April 17 — Doors open at 6 p.m. 

📅 Saturday, April 18 — Programming runs 10 a.m. to approximately 8:30 p.m. 📍 Bruder Life Center, Neumann University 

🎟️ Free admission

The full schedule, including descriptions of every film, is available at www.neumann.edu/filmfest.

The Neumann Inspires Film Festival is an official America250PADelco Community Program Partner. To explore all Delaware County America 250 programming, visit america250padelco.org.