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

"A Questlove Jawn."

2021 1h 57m EN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 234

MusicDocumentaryHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

During the same summer as Woodstock, over 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating African American music and culture, and promoting Black pride and unity. The footage from the festival sat in a basement, unseen for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America's history lost — until now.

“A Questlove Jawn.”

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Cast

Stevie Wonder
Self
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Self - Artist
Chris Rock
Self - Artist
Tony Lawrence
Self - Harlem Cultural Festival Producer & Host (archive footage)
Nina Simone
Self (archive footage)
B.B. King
Self (archive footage)
Abbey Lincoln
Self (archive footage)
Mavis Staples
Self - Singer (archive footage) (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Questlove
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Questlove, shot by Shawn Peters. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Joshua L. Pearson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

AWARDS

Did you know

Stevie Wonder and Lin-Manuel Miranda and Chris Rock carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A Questlove Jawn.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt7378922 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Questlove directs. Shawn Peters behind the camera. Joshua L. Pearson cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 5 years ago.
2Directed by Questlove, shot by Shawn Peters. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Editor Joshua L. Pearson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
4Stevie Wonder and Lin-Manuel Miranda and Chris Rock carry the top of the cast.
5Marketing tagline: "A Questlove Jawn.".
6IMDB entry: tt7378922 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Classified under 20 themes, including "jazz", "empowerment", "blues", "civil rights".

The technical file

Cinematography: Shawn Peters
Editing: Joshua L. Pearson
Makeup / hair: Sunny Bourgeois
Sound: Paul Hsu
Runtime: 117 min · 1h 57m
Status: Released
Box office: $3,696,069
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

Awards

Sundance Audience Award: U.S. Documentary
Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Questlove

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots2021-03-09
★ 6/10
The times, they were a’changin’ in the summer of 1969, with many turning to music as a vehicle to help them express their feelings on important social and political issues. The most famous music festival of all time, Woodstock, has seen its concert footage shown the world over. That same year in New York, over 300,000 people attended the predominantly African-American concert series known as the Harlem Cultural Festival. The filmed performances of some of the most important artists in black music history sat in a basement for five decades, only to finally be seen in “Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” a documentary by first-time director Ahmir-Khalib “Questlove” Thompson. This concert film is a cultural and historical treasure trove of American music that shines a light on black art and culture in the late Sixties. For those who are seeking a well-rounded music education, this film is a must-see. The documentary makes extensive use of the never-before-seen footage, often letting the musical performances speak for themselves. Thompson weaves file footage and interviews with festival artists and attendees that share their stories on African-American popular culture. You can tell just how important the Harlem Culture Festival was to everyone involved, and some of the best clips in the film are shots of the faces in the crowds, all of them radiating pure joy. Clocking in at two hours, the film could stand a little editing. Since he is a musician himself, I understand Thompson’s tendency to include as much of every single performance as possible, but the film suffers because of it and drags on a bit too long. But just as my interest would wane, I’d get drawn back in almost as quickly with an enthralling anecdote from the likes of Jesse Jackson or Marilyn McCoo, or a moving performance from talents like Mavis Staples and Mahalia Jackson. “Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” is a stunning historical record that captures a moment in time when the stories of black America weren’t always told, and it lifts up their voices in the process.
badelf2022-11-18
★ 8/10
In 1969, besides Woodstock, there was also an unknown Summer of Soul Festival in New York. More specifically, in Harlem. If you're a music buff (I am), this is a must-see film. It includes amazing performances that we would otherwise not have seen. Eclipsed by Woodstock, the recordings found no takers at the time and sat in a basement for 50 years. Unearthed by Questlove, and interlaced with pertinent interviews, the music speaks for film.