Jasmine and the Squirrel

Jasmine and the Squirrel Jasmine, a young Romani girl, lives in Helsinki with her grandmother, who arrived as an evacuee from Karelia. Jasmine spends her childhood alongside her grandmother, but also spends time in Sweden and at a boarding school. Life is full of challenges—school feels foreign to her, she faces prejudice, and often feels different. But one day, a guitar comes into her hands, and through it, she discovers her inner strength, her voice, and a sense of belonging. With her perseverance, courage, and passion, she moves step by step towards the Eurovision Song Contest, where she represents Finland on stage. “Jasmine and the Squirrel” tells the story of a brave Romani girl's rise to stardom, featuring a cheeky squirrel and a grandmother who crochets masterfully. This tale is about daring to be ourselves and following our dreams! On stage, we see Jasmine sharing her story. Accompanying her is actress Riina Tikkanen, who breathes life into Elina Sarno's charismatic puppets. The performance is presented in Finnish, and we provide simultaneous interpretation (translation devices) for our audience! Recommended Age: From 4 years old with adult supervision, and from 5 years old for school groups. The performance is aimed at families, as well as preschoolers and elementary school students aged 5-9, along with their teachers. Duration: The performance lasts approximately 40 minutes. Direction and Puppetry: Elina Sarno Musician: Jasmine Valentin Puppeteer: Riina Tikkanen Script: Based on the story of the working group, Jasmine Valentin, and Milena Parland Production: Ad Astra r.f. Language: Finnish Photo: Andre Scherbakov

Workshop: My Story, My Courage An interactive family workshop about courage, memories, and heroes. In the “My Story, My Courage” workshop, we explore our family stories and the courage found in everyday life. Inspired by Jasmine Valentin's story as a Romani musician, we seek our heroes within our families—be it a grandmother, aunt, uncle, or anyone who dared to be themselves and helped others. Through playful and participatory exercises, discussions, and small group theater activities, we will explore questions such as: What does courage mean? In what different ways can someone be brave? Who is your role model? Is there a hero in your family? Additionally, we will engage with old family memories, such as stories related to historical events. The workshop will be led by two trained facilitators and is inspired by the Roma Heroes project, in cooperation with the Independent Theater, as part of the Erasmus+ project. Target Audience: Families, from 6 years old Duration: 90 minutes The event is organized in collaboration with the Independent Theater of Hungary, as part of the Budapest Spring Festival program series. Participation is free, and everyone is warmly welcome!