Filmmaker Spotlight

Filmmaker Ricky Rose

Raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Ricky’s family maintains a home in the city. Ricky’s passion for cinema was spurred at the Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School where a small film program provided a creative and inspiring environment. Ricky was accepted to the prestigious Florida State University School of Motion Picture Arts in 2008, a top three-film program, and since then has completed several short films that have been met with enthusiasm. With his current project as director of City of Murals, Ricky sought to capture the incredible history of the Mural Arts Program through the voice of its founder Jane Golden. 

City of Murals traces the story of the Mural Arts Program from its inception in 1984 as a component of the Anti-Graffiti Network under Mayor Wilson Goode to the sweeping citywide program that it is today. “It was important for me to capture something unique and special about Philadelphia,” says Rose, “this is one of the largest collections of public murals in the world and the program has impacted so many in the city. I have been extremely lucky to have the opportunity to document this amazing journey of civic art through the eyes of Philadelphians.” 

City of Murals encompasses reflections from a variety of individuals on their impressions of the murals including notables such as Mayor Michael Nutter, Marc Vetri, and Allan Domb along with some of the gifted mural artists who have created beauty on our city walls. Ricky is grateful to have partnered on this project with his talented Director of Photography and fellow classmate, Jacob Abrams, whose family roots also stem from the Philadelphia area. City of Murals was also made possible with the assistance of, Michael Vargas, a FSU film student who served as an adviser and Sound Mixer for the project. Following his graduation Ricky aspires to pursue his career in the northeast preferably in the city that he loves, Philadelphia.