Philly Rumba
Cultural Justice Project - Series 1
Distribution:
2019 - Present
Premiering at BlackStar 2026!
"Philly Rumba" is a short film that features African American and Latin American percussionists and cultural keepers who have played a role in preserving the culture of rumba percussion in the Philadelphia region. This film is co-produced by Timbalona, and is also part of Activate’s Cultural Justice Project.
The Cultural Justice Project is a community-led digital multimedia archive that highlights arts/culture work for social change by Latinx, Black, and underrepresented communities in Philadelphia.
Behind the Scenes
Photo Credits
BTS production photos - Erika Ramirez
Additional photos - Melissa Beatriz
Grants
Cultural Justice Archive
Independence Public Media Foundation 2024, 2023, 2021Philly Rumba
Velocity Fund 2020PA Council on the Arts 2020
Philly Rumba sample
Crew
Director, Writer, Producer
Melissa Beatriz
Co-Director, Co-Writer, Field Producer
Andrés Cisneros
Producer
Lila Yomtoob
Editor
Gabriela Cavanaugh
Archival Producer
Matt Lavine
Directors of Photography
Aidan Un
Ty Burdenski
Additional Cinematography
Stephanie Ramones
Associate Producer
Frances Almodovar
Production Assistant & Social Media Coordinator
Erika Ramírez-Lorenzo
Assistant Editor
Luke Northrop
Sound mix
Eric Stapleton
Executive Producer
Actívate Media
Collaborators
TIMBALONA
TIMBALONA Collective is a percussion ensemble in its core, with a focus on folklore and popular music from the Caribbean and Latin America. The focus of the TIMBALONA Collective is to bring spectators a musical experience of rhythm sections, storytelling, and dance. TIMBALONA’s musical expressions span from Afro-Caribbean diaspora genres such as Cuban Rumba and Puerto Rican Bomba to South American genres like Cumbia and Malambo. With amazing musical guests, the TIMBALONA Collective brings an exciting performance that puts dancers on their beat and listeners in delight.