Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
A Vulcan Productions Inc. Production, In Association With Concordia Studio, Play/Action Pictures, LarryBilly Productions, Produced by Mass Distraction Media and RadicalMedia
In the concert documentary film Summer of Soul, musician and debut director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson puts us right in the front row of a seminal event that should be as legendary as Woodstock but had been relegated to the dusty and neglected storage bins of history: the Harlem Cultural Festival in the summer of 1969. The film weaves together interviews with attendees and cultural commentators for context with astonishing footage of festival performances from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, and many more—footage that has been largely forgotten until now. The result is a rousing experience that will have you partying along with the festival-goers and gaining a new appreciation for the healing powers of Black culture, music, fashion, and community at a time of great civil unrest. For lifting our spirits while restoring a critical part of Black history to the collective cultural memory, Summer of Soul earns a Peabody Award.
PRIMARY PRODUCTION CREDITS
Network/Station/Platform: Searchlight Pictures, Onyx Collective, Hulu. Executive Producers: Jen Isaacson, Jon Kamen, Dave Sirulnick, Jody Allen, Ruth Johnston, Rocky Collins, Jannat Gargi, Beth Hubbard, Davis Guggenheim, Laurene Powell Jobs, Jeffrey Lurie, Marie Therese Guirgis, David Barse, Ron Eisenberg, Sheila C. Johnson, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Associate Producers/Producers: Joseph Patel p.g.a., Robert Fyvolent p.g.a., David Dinerstein p.g.a. Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Editor: Joshua L. Pearson. Cinematography: Shawn Peters. Sound Mixer: Emily Strong. Re-Recording Mixers: Paul Hsu, Rob Fernandez, Paul Massey.