What happened in the summer of 1969? Many music fans might remember the big Woodstock festival, just outside New York. But who remembers the Harlem Cultural Festival? Nobody. Another example of Black artists and musicians being pushed into a silent background.
Finally after 50 years, we have a chance to see this amazing concert film, Summer of Soul. The Festival took place over six weekends in July and August 1969, in New York's Harlem. A film director called Hal Tulchin had the inspired idea to record on videotape the six weekends of music, about 40 hours. By some miracle, the quality of the video image and sound is remarkably good.
Last year, during the Corona pandemic, the music producer Ahmir Thompson was able to look at the 40 hours of videotape, and he put together the wonderful two-hour documentary that we can now see at Theatre Kino. 300,000 people enjoyed these free concerts. In the film, we hear the voices of some of these people, reflecting on the event, 50 years after they had experienced it.
This is a beautiful film, an important historical record.. It's great to see Black American culture finding a new strength again, one year after the death of Martin Luther King.
Opening at Theatre Kino in Sapporo, on August 27th. Do not miss it.
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