Winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and the Sundance Audience Award 2021, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) will transport you back in time to another summer – from the intimate outdoor marquee behind The Dock.
Summer 1969, more than 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, a summer concert series which took place over six consecutive weekends. Overshadowed by Woodstock, which happened that same year, the event and its filmed footage were forgotten.
Questlove’s acclaimed directorial debut transports us back to this extraordinary gathering – rediscovering incredible performances from, among others, Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Nina Simone.
More than a music documentary, Summer of Soul reflects on the Vietnam War, the assassinations of Malcom X and Martin Luther King, the moon landing, and the Black Panther movement. It is a glorious celebration of Black history and culture, punctuated by some truly uplifting musical performances.