Juneteenth Community Celebration
June 19, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Let’s celebrate African-American culture together with our partner, Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF). Watch a variety of short animated films (see films below), find your rhythm during a drumming workshop, and catch the beat by making your own drum to practice at home. Drummer Pope Flyne, a Ghanaian-born performer, composer, and educator, will lead a drumming workshop and invite you to try your hand at some traditional African drums. Then top off the day by making your own percussion instrument!
Silicon Valley African Film Festival Selections
The Boy and The Jazz
Animation
3 minutes
Director: Flavio dos Santos
Country: Brazil
The Boy and The Jazz tells the story of a boy who is in love with music and dreams of owning a trumpet so he can become a jazz musician. When he realizes that the price of the instrument is higher than he can afford, he feels frustrated, but then he starts looking for ways to achieve his goals.
Tales of Shaa – Umi and Nandis Adventure
Animation
Animation
7 minutes
Director: Rodney Tapfuma Masanga
Country: Zimbabwe
Umi and Nandi get transported Shaa, an enchanted world of African folklore filled with popular characters from famous African tales.
Recoiled
8 minutes
Director: Claire Grim
Country: USA
Recoiled is a 3D animated short that tells the story of two young African American sisters. Kailli’s hair is so curly that it has a life of its own. With the help of her young sister, Kalli quickly discovers that being true to one another and to themselves is far more important that conforming to social norms of beauty and peer pressure to fit in.
The Pyramid
7 minutes
Director: Mohamed Ghazala
Country: Egypt
An ancient Egyptian tried to build an upside-down pyramid.
She Flies Again
14 minutes
Director: Joy Shannon
Country: United States
In the colorful world of talking seagulls, She Flies Again centers around a young, Black seagull with dreams and wings, so shattered that she stops flying. Years later, her passion to pursue her dreams is reignited and with wounded wings and all, she somehow flies again!
About SVAFF
Silicon Valley African Film Festival
Africa through the African lens!
13th annual SVAFF, October 13-16, 2022
http://www.svaff.org
HIGHLIGHTS FROM PAST EVENTS
Our supporting sponsors:
This program was made possible, in part, by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San Jose.
The series includes: El Dia de Los Tres Reyes Magos, Lunar New Year, Nowruz, Proud of My Family, Juneteenth, Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, Diwali Festival, Dia de los Muertos, and Menorahs & Miracles.
