Tacoma Film Festival Presents : Bang the Drum: 3 PNW Music Docs

Starts Sunday, October 12, 2025 · Documentary · 1 hr 30 min

Overview
1. Syncopation | Quinton Davis | USA | 18 min | A documentary rooted in the rhythms of Tacoma and Seattle, exploring how music, culture, and community intersect to shape identity and resilience.

2. Songs of Black Folk | Justin Emeka & Haley Watson | USA | 26 min | Songs of Black Folk, an extraordinary performance group led by Tacoma locals Ramon Bryant Braxton and Rev. Dr. Leslie Braxton, brings together the largest gathering of Black musical talent on a single stage in the Pacific Northwest to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday.

3. Bang the Drum: Taiko in Tacoma | Joanne Lisosky, Director; Elise Ruth Anderson, Assistant Director | USA/PNW | 43 min | Wendy Hamai, a Tacoma woman, wanted to play Taiko drums since the 1970s. Now 74 years old, she teaches Taiko drumming at the Tacoma Buddhist Temple, and plays for peace, justice, and her own health.
Showtimes