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The Hammer Museum, KCRW and the UCLA Film & Television Archive present

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

A man playing keyboard and singing to a large crowd.
June 28, 2022 - 7:30 pm


Free admission. No registration needed; first come, first served.

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

U.S., 2021

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 largely forgotten–until now. 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 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 won scores of awards, including an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and a Grammy for Best Music Film.

DCP, color, 118 min. Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson.

Summer Night Cinema is presented by Carla Emil and Rich Silverstein.