Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Seen it?2021 | 117 min | Music, Documentary, History
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (99% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it won an Oscar. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for the curious and history buffs. If you loved Woodstock or Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Eye-opening.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 57 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
During the same summer as Woodstock, over 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating African American music and culture, and promoting Black pride and unity. The footage from the festival sat in a basement, unseen for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America's history lost — until now.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
99% on Rotten Tomatoes, 96 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.6 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 1 Oscar: Academy Awards: Best Documentary Feature. Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best Documentary. Won 6 Critics' Choice Awards: Critics' Choice Documentary Awards: Best Documentary Feature, Critics' Choice Documentary Awards: Best Archival Documentary, Critics' Choice Documentary Awards: Best Music Documentary, Critics' Choice Documentary Awards: Best First Documentary Feature and 2 more. Won 1 PGA Award: Producers Guild of America Awards: Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures. Won 1 Peabody Award: Peabody Awards: Best Music Film. Won 1 Independent Spirit Award: Independent Spirit Awards: Best Documentary Feature. Also nominated for 1 more BAFTA and 1 DGA Award. Plus 26 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$4 million worldwide
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
Not enough engagement data yet
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Questlove
- Stevie WonderSelf
- Lin-Manuel MirandaSelf - Artist
- Chris RockSelf - Artist
- Tony LawrenceSelf - Harlem Cultural Festival Producer & Host (archive footage)
- Nina SimoneSelf (archive footage)
- B.B. KingSelf (archive footage)
- Abbey LincolnSelf (archive footage)
- Mavis StaplesSelf - Singer (archive footage) (voice)
- Mahalia JacksonSelf (archive footage)
- David RuffinSelf