‘Rewind with Ellen,’ hosts Ellen J. Wanjiru and Rougét Carter discuss the significance of Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s directorial debut Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), a unique and insightful portrait of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Music Festival.
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. Thompson expressed surprise that the footage sat for so long, as music had a large impact on his life and development, stating “What would have happened if this was allowed a seat at the table? How much of a difference would that have made in my life? That was the moment that extinguished any doubt I had that I could do this.”
The Questlove Summer of Soul SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more.
The film is currently streaming on Hulu.
‘Rewind with Ellen,’ blackfilm.com’s first syndicated series, deep-dives into Black film and TV from a female vs. male perspective. Hosted by Ellen J. Wanjiru @ellenthagreat & co-host Rougét Carter @ro_ny_ca. Watch Live episodes of ‘Rewind with Ellen’ every Thursday at 8:30pm EST on @Blackfilm Facebook and @Blackfilm YouTube!
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