by John Bizub
The year is 2021, many states and even countries are still under lockdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 that has plagued us all throughout 2020. We’ve been sheltered in our homes, fearing for our lives, occupying ourselves, and counting down the days until everything starts to become normal again. If there is one thing that I and many others miss, it’s concerts. Hearing our favorite artists perform some of their hits, or hearing personal favorites will always be a treat, especially with a large crowd.
Musician Questlove understands our pain and our excitement for live performances as he premieres his directorial debut, Summer of Soul. The documentary tells the story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Music Festival and its significance in the Black community, as well as the music scene as a whole.
I unfortunately missed this film’s festival run when it premiered at Sundance this January due to scheduling conflicts. However, from the large amount of word of mouth and awards it has won since its premiere, my excitement was growing larger and larger as the months went by. Questlove hits the ground running with this debut, bringing what is easily one of the best documentaries of 2021.
Summer of Soul is not only an important film tackling the racial barriers of the time period, but also the social divide of the time. This is especially true since the day the event took place was just 100 miles from the famous Woodstock performance. Questlove restores the footage from the Harlem Cultural Music Festival and makes the performance look magical, all complimented by a wonderful sound design. He never makes the story feel uninteresting; he is not only tackling one issue, but the issues surrounding the festival to make the event seem like a momentous leap forward.
The editing is quick and fast, but does not feel out of place. It’s to capture the live performances as well as the audience’s reactions. The largest flaw in this documentary was how it played out. Sure, it’s great that it shows the full live performance, but the film played out like a series of vignettes. During each concert performance, it would discuss more information, and the formula got a bit dry after its first hour.
Questlove is one of the most exciting new filmmakers out there right now thanks to Summer of Soul. It’s a fun, but important documentary on racism and the music scene, and how a bit of beats and melodies can bring a community of people together. It will be a tough year for documentaries to stand out due to the amount of great entries there have been with Summer of Soul, Flee, The Sparks Brothers, and the upcoming Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain.
Grade: B+