Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

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Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

PG-13

Released Jul 2, 2021

1h 57m

Documentary

Music

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Popcornmeter

99%

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223 Reviews

98%

Popcornmeter

100+ Verified Ratings

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.

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Audience Says

Summer of Soul will be educational for a lot of viewers, but whether or not you know about the history behind it, this incredible music is not to be missed.

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Christina Newland

iNews.co.uk

Profound and joyful, Questlove’s documentary attempts to redress that erasure.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 23, 2024

Full Review

Kenneth Womack

Salon.com

As with the best films, Questlove's narrative is shrouded in mystery, while leaving an emotional resonance that won't be soon forgotten.

Jul 11, 2022

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Kambole Campbell

Hyperallergic

Despite being a first feature, Summer of Soul concisely balances performance, interview, and history in its own rhythmic fashion.

Aug 3, 2021

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Hector A. Gonzalez

The Movie Buff

A celebration of Black culture, history, and music, and features amazing performances from Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, The 5th Dimension, and more.

Rated: B+

Sep 8, 2024

Full Review

Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

“Summer of Soul” feels as if it is the wistful answer to a question that viewers had after watching “Black Panther” (2018), “Where is our Wakanda?” For a moment, it was Harlem.

Jun 12, 2024

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Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

Come for a great music doc with historic performances, and stay for a much-needed reconsideration of what exactly counts as collective "American" cultural history.

Feb 12, 2024

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Mikhail

Amazing! This movie really moved me and left me wanting more. That's both a good and bad thing but this is definitely worth the watch if you have any interest in music at all.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/21/22

Full Review

gamejukr

It's a disgrace that this sat for 50 years unseen. Sound was incredible and the way the film was re-cut made the wait worth it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/27/21

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Tom A.

My favorite documentary of any concert. Absolute magic. Mind-blowing footage and heart-melting music. Historical and emotional. Stevie at age 19 and Mahalia Jackson! what more do you need to know? See it in the theater to support the project.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/04/21

Full Review

Robert

Some great history, perspectives and the music was great. Especially Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, too.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/04/21

Full Review

Merle

Thanks QuestLove OMG we uberly enjoyed Summer of Soul!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/04/21

Full Review

Robert

A great documentary about an event I didn't even know happened in the summer of 1969! Enjoyed the innocence and graciousness of the performers and attendees.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/01/21

Full Review

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Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Director

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Self

Stevie Wonder

Self

B.B. King

Self

Chris Rock

Self

Nina Simone

Self

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Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised): Trailer 1

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Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised): Trailer 1

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Synopsis

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.

Director: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Producer: David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent, Joseph Patel
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Production Co: Two One Five Entertainment, Play/Action Pictures, Concordia Studio, Mass Distraction Media, Vulcan Productions, LarryBilly Productions, RadicalMedia
Rating: PG-13 (Smoking|Brief Drug Material|Some Disturbing Images)
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 2021, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 2, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.3M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, Stereo

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