SeacrhlightPictures, Jun 16, 2021
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more. “Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not be Televised),” is the first official project under the recently announced Onyx Collective brand. The winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival will be released theatrically by Searchlight Pictures and will begin streaming on Hulu in the U.S. on July 2, 2021. The film will also stream internationally through the Star offering on Disney+ on a date to be confirmed.
The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2021 where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the documentary categories. It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 25, 2021 before being released theatrically by Searchlight Pictures and via streaming on Hulu.
It received acclaim from critics with praise aimed at the footage restoration. It has won numerous awards, including Best Documentary Feature at the 6th Critics' Choice Documentary Awards with a total of a leading and sweeping six awards at that ceremony. It also won Best Documentary at the 75th British Academy Film Awards, Best Documentary Feature at the 94th Academy Awards, and was also nominated for the Best Music Film at the 64th Annual Grammy 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, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, The 5th Dimension, The Staple Singers, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Blinky Williams, Sly and the Family Stone and The Chambers Brothers, the festival was seen as obscure in pop culture, something that the documentarians investigate."...
****
Excerpt #2
From https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/3/29/2088529/-Black-Kos-Tuesday-s-Chile-Congrats-on-Oscar-win-for-Summer-of-Soul by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez, March 29, 2022
"Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein won a well deserved Oscar for Best Documentary feature this year. From my perspective, Harlem won as well.
The Harlem of the Renaissance, the Harlem of the Apollo Theatre, the Harlem of Malcolm’s mosque and the Abyssinian Baptist Church — a Harlem that was home to the Negro Ensemble Company, the Black Arts Movement, the Schomburg Library, Striver’s Row, the Harlem River Houses and Carver Projects. Marcus Garvey Park was Mount Morris Park in 1969 when the Harlem Cultural Festival took place on Sundays at 3 PM, from June 29 to August 24, 1969.
An event that would have been lost to history, except in the memories of the many thousands who attended, had not Hal Tulchin’s film of the event that had never acquired a producer been given daylight and a successful premiere at Sundance, which I wrote about for #BlackMusicSunday in 'Summer of Soul' is a musical celebration of Black joy. I pointed out that the film “represents a sweeping range of Black music genres, including gospel, R&B, jazz, salsa, blues, and African drumming, as well as pop and rock. More importantly, it is not simply a series of performances; The film is about music that is inextricably linked to the lived political, cultural, and historical experience of Black people, not only from Harlem, but in the Black diaspora.”
Important also is that the film unites a diverse Harlem — East and West, Black American and Puerto Rican. The absurd artificial and false dividing line of 5th Avenue — with one side as “Black Harlem” and the other as “Spanish Harlem,” dissolves when you watch the film.”…
****
ADDITIONAL YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF "SUMMER OF SOUL...."
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: SUMMER OF SOUL | Soul Searching | Featurette
SearchlightPictures, June 17, 2021
In Theaters and on Hulu July 2
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Ray Baretto, Abbey Lincoln & Max Roach and more.
Summer of Soul premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. It will stream on Hulu in conjunction with Disney’s new BIPOC Creator Initiative; Searchlight Pictures will release it theatrically.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: SUMMER OF SOUL | Mongo Santamaría & Style in Harlem Clip
SearchlightPictures, July 1, 2021
Now on Hulu
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Ray Baretto, Abbey Lincoln & Max Roach and more. Summer of Soul premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. It will stream on Hulu in conjunction with Disney’s new BIPOC Creator Initiative; Searchlight Pictures will release it theatrically.
*****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #4: Questlove’s ‘Summer of Soul’ tells long-forgotten story of Harlem Cultural Festival | Nightline
ABC News, July 13, 2021
Some of the world’s greatest Black musicians performed at the concert series, which occurred at the same time as Woodstock in the wake of MLK’s death. The documentary is now streaming on Hulu.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Still Black, Still Proud: Unpacking the Untold Story of Harlem's 'Summer of Soul'
The Root, June 30, 2021
"There is going to be an unearthing of Black stories
like never before." —Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment