Storyville: Philly Rumba by Melissa Beatriz and Andres Cisneros
Submitted on September 24,2026
Friday, February 19, 2027 at 7:00 PM
Philly Rumba by Melissa Beatriz and Andres Cisneros
(USA, 2026, 25 minutes)
preceded by Kulu Mele: Legacy in Motion, produced through Scribe’s Precious Places program
(USA, 14 minutes)
In Philly Rumba, a group of African American men who gravitated toward Cuban rumba as an expression of their African roots have played together for 50 years.
Melissa Beatriz is a Uruguayan American documentary filmmaker, cultural producer, and media scholar whose practice centers diasporic communities. Andrés Cisneros is a Philadelphia-based musician, educator and inventor born in Venezuela. His work draws from Afro-Caribbean traditions and rumba communities.
A Tribute to Baba Robert “Ibikunle” Crowder by Dr. Benita J. Brown
(USA. 2026, 25 minutes)
A Tribute to Baba Robert “Ibikunle” Crowder is an homage to the founder of Kúlú Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble, an essential figure in the development and nurturance of African influenced percussion and movement among performing artists in Philadelphia.
Dr. Benita J. Brown is a renowned educator, dancer, and cultural historian and the creator of the documentary Traditions in Peace (1&2), a healing tool for families affected by gun violence.