cinéSPEAK x Two Locals Brewing Present “Sinners”
Two Locals Brewing
3675 Market St.
Philadelphia
March 9, 2026
On the first day of Philadelphia’s faux spring, I headed to University City to catch my pick for Best Picture, Sinners, at Two Locals Brewing. The event was held in collaboration with cinéSPEAK, and along with the free screening, attendees were treated to free popcorn and a Q&A with Assistant Curator of the African American Museum, Dr. Michael K. Wilson.
The location, which is owned by two Black brewers (and brothers) raised in Philly, was the ideal setting for the evening. Once the crowd started filling in, the brewery staff opened the large windows, bringing the much needed weather inside to us. The crowd — made up of folks in business casual attire, medical professionals, and people from the area — mixed and mingled prior to the Q&A starting, and it was one of those events that really shows off how special it is to be in a city like this one: Where so many of us are open to meeting a new friend, especially once we’re thawing out from a brutal winter.
The discussion — which was moderated by Wi-Moto Nyoka, founder of Dusky Projects, a BIPOC horror production company — tied in flawlessly with the film. Dr. Wilson was present to promote the actively running Ruth E. Carter exhibition at the African American Museum on 7th and Arch Streets. The exhibition, Afrofuturism in Costume Design, shows Carter’s artistry and journey to becoming a two-time Oscar winning (and five-time nominated) costume designer. Read Midbrow's coverage of that exhibition here.
Carter, of course, was the costume designer on Sinners, and the event was another way to celebrate her work. “Raise your hand if you have seen Sinners, Black Panther, Do the Right Thing, or Malcolm X," Dr. Wilson said to the crowd. The number of hands that went up, which was most of them in the building, illustrated the impact Carter has had in the film industry.
Costume design, Dr. Wilson said, enhances a film, especially a Black film. Carter draws from real, specific aspects of a culture and brings them to often-times fictional stories. Her work brings a non-fictional aspect to fiction, and allows us to have deeper conversations about the films she works on.
Dr. Wilson gave two examples. The first was of Wakanda and the traditional Zulu headdress (Iqubu) seen on characters in Black Panther. The second was of the scene in Sinners that shows the many Black and African cultures that have existed and will exist in the future while Miles Caton’s character — Sammie —performs “I Lied to You” in the juke joint. When we see the costumes used in both of these films, we are transported to different times and places and immediately understand what we are looking at: These are things that are important to this culture. Whether it’s garb worn by nobility or dancers or emcees, we can see how ancestry connects and moves forward.
Shortly after being treated to the insightful discussion and a break for questions and drinks, Sinners began playing on the projector. About five seconds into the film, I was reminded of how much I love it. This time, though, I watched it thinking about Dr. Wilson’s commentary and with a better appreciation of the work that went into the costumes.
Kicking the week off watching a perfect film on a perfect day was already going to be a great time, but it was made even better by getting to watch it with the community at Two Locals. And if you’re wondering, yes, this is my official endorsement for Sinners to win all sixteen of the awards it’s nominated for at this weekend’s 2026 Oscars.
