Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is a documentary film directed by Ahmir Khalib Thompson (Questlove) about the 1969 Harlem Culture Festival.[1]
It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2021. It was released in the United States on July 2, 2021, by Searchlight Pictures and Hulu.
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 94th Academy Awards.
Synopsis[]
The documentary examines the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which was held at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem and lasted for six weeks. Despite having a large attendance and performers, such as Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Sly and the Family Stone, the festival was seen as obscure in pop culture, something that the documentarians investigate.
Production[]
Footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival was shot and later placed in a basement, where it sat for about 50 years unpublished.[2] Thompson expressed surprise that the footage sat for so long, as music had a large impact on his life and development, stating "What would have happened if this was allowed a seat at the table? How much of a difference would that have made in my life? That was the moment that extinguished any doubt I had that I could do this."[3]
Release[]
Summer of Soul premiered on January 28, 2021 at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the US Documentary Competition. The film was acquired by Searchlight Pictures and Hulu. It will be released in the United States on July 2, 2021 in theaters and on Hulu,[4] with the film also set to be distributed internationally in theaters and through Disney+ under the Star content hub and Star+ later in 2021.[5]The film was released on Disney+ in the US on February 8, 2022, in honor of Black History Month.
On April 22, 2021, it was announced that Questlove would introduce the first trailer for the film during the 93rd Academy Awards, for which he served as music director. The trailer debuted on April 25, 2021.[6]
Reception[]
The film received universal acclaim upon its release, and the film holds a rating of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 202 reviews. The critics consensus reads "Deftly interweaving incredible live footage with a series of revealing interviews, Summer of Soul captures the spirit and context of a watershed moment while tying it firmly to the present."[7] Rolling Stone praised the film as "the Perfect Movie to Kick Off Sundance 2021" and that it was "an incredible, vital act of restoration — and reclamation".[8] The Guardian gave Summer of Soul five stars, stating that there was "a moment so striking and rich with power at the center of Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) that, while watching it, I actually forgot to breathe."[9]
Awards[]
- Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival (2021, won)[2]
- Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival (2021, won)[2]
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ Goodman, Stephanie (2021-02-03). "Questlove's 'Summer of Soul' Wins at Sundance" (in en-US), The New York Times.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Minsker, Evan. "Questlove's Summer of Soul Documentary Wins Sundance 2021 Grand Jury Prize" (en-us). Pitchfork.
- ↑ Lindahl, Chris (2021-02-02). "Questlove on Building 'Summer of Soul' Around Awe-Inspiring Musical Moments" (en). IndieWire.
- ↑ Jackson, Angelique (2021-02-05). "Searchlight Pictures and Hulu Pick Up Questlove's Sundance Winner 'Summer of Soul'" (en-US). Variety.
- ↑ "Disney’s Searchlight & Hulu Snag ‘Summer Of Soul’ Doc; Questlove’s Directorial Debut Won Sundance Grand Jury Prize". Deadline (5 February 2021). “the music-themed documentary is set for a theatrical release as well as streaming on Hulu in America and internationally on Star and Star+”
- ↑ https://www.thewrap.com/west-side-story-in-the-heights-summer-of-soul-trailers-to-debut-during-oscars/?fbclid=IwAR1vyD_4qv3_h6efoCJyxcetEYTuQOH3Q5bQ00TzYHroHmZSdEY3aGalAyk
- ↑ "Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango.
- ↑ Fear, David (2021-01-29). "'Summer of Soul' Is the Perfect Movie to Kick Off Sundance 2021" (en-US). Rolling Stone.
- ↑ "Summer of Soul review – thrilling documentary reveals a forgotten festival" (en). the Guardian (2021-01-29).
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