Music is the message. Questlove chooses the recorded (and unwatched) edition of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, and builds a complex portrait of an era, the contrast between the man conquering the moon and the heroine conquering Harlem streets. Each performance expands as a narrative line, a vindication of the community. And furthermore, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Mavis Staples...

SUPERB! This festival flowed with talent and awareness!

What is immediately striking is that we have not heard about this "Black Woodstock" event before. Incredible line up of recording artist superstars in a peaceful gathering of hundreds of thousands in the heart of Harlem. The original filmmaker tells how no producers cared to broadcast it, completely discrediting it's significance, even while Woodstock was celebrated that same summer just 100 miles away.
What's immediately touching is watching the emotional journey the past attendees and performers go through while watching the archival footage for the 1st time.
What's immediately poignant is the juxtaposition of white people's praise of the moon landing, also happening that summer of '69, with Black people's criticism of money wasted in a space race that could be better allocated to alleviating poverty & hunger in our communities. (I'm looking at you Branson & Besos).
What's immediately apparent is that we are even now in a 'summer of soul', 50 years later, grappling with vast disparities of economic, social and racial injustice, that continue to not be televised.

Highly recommend must watch. Hope ?uestlove wins an Oscar.

I watched this during history and I liked some of the performances and the history behind the film. I don't know why, but it was either the film or the uncomfortableness in class that brought down the enjoyment for me.

At Time of Review:
Low 6/10

Story and Characters: 6/10 (I don't know how to rate this tbh)
Presentation: 8/10
Enjoyability: 6/10

There was no mention of this event in the UK at the time (I was in my late teens); it was lost in the noise of the Apollo 11 landing and Woodstock. There appears to have been little promotion or interest outside New York either. It's a shame, as many of the artists performing here were also household names on this side of the pond.

Those performances are, in the great majority of cases, very good. Stand-outs are Stevie Wonder and Sly Stone. I could have done without some of the voice-overs during them.

I understand that there is a lot more material available. Please!

The restoration shows signs of its source; videotape (NTSC?). The images are just slightly blurred, but the audio is excellent. There must be scope for upscaling the video to 720p or even 1080p.

Recommended to music fans of all ages.

Hell fucking yeah, this shit rocked

I had no idea this happened the same summer as Woodstock and I assume the majority of the viewing audience is just now realizing too, what a shame. Stevie Wonder fucking slayed, Nina Simone with a great song that easily would be played at similar festivals today. BB Fucking King too. ==i miss live festivals so much==

A great snapshot of a shifting time in black history and an engrossing demonstration of black excellence and love even when the system tries to have it forgotten

Essential viewing.

Expertly crafted and some of the finest archive footage you'll ever see. What an array of talent.


8.75/10