During the 93rd Academy Awards, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson introduced the first trailer to his acclaimed documentary, Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised).
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Directed by Thompson, the film chronicles the showcases filmed footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, including never-before-seen concert performances by B.B. King, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Stevie Wonder and more. The event celebrated African American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity. The documentary released to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the grand jury prize and audience award and subsequently sold for more than $12 million, the biggest price tag for a documentary in the festival’s history,
Despite such high-profile performers, the Harlem Culture Festival remains a relatively unknown event. In fact, some 45 hours of footage sat in a basement for 50 years, waiting to be unearthed by Thompson and his team.
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Searchlight Pictures is releasing the film simultaneously in theaters and on Hulu on July 2.
Check out the Summer of Soul trailer below:
