There is also a story of lost and found behind Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)(2021), the winner of 2022 EE British Academy Film Awards’ documentary this year.
In the summer of 1969, the Harlem Cultural Festival celebrated African American culture and to promote the continued politics of black pride through music. TV director Hal Tulchin videotaped the full concert series featuring acclaimed performers including Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and B.B. King. Without massive coverage and attention by the mainstream media at that time, the majority of this video remained in obscurity for decades. The footage sat for 50 years in the basement of the Tulchin’s home.
Until 2003, film archivist Joe Lauro took a trip to Copenhagen and unearthed a 16mm film print of a TV show titled ‘Harlem Festival’ in his friend Karl Knudsen’s jazz collection. He was impressed by the performances and approached Tulchin for an agreement to represent all his festival footage in the name of Historic Films. All the tapes shelved for more than a half-century were digitised and cataloged. The restored footage and the festival itself finally receive the cinematic spotlight with the documentary released in 2021.
Watch now! Summer of Soul Trailer: https://youtu.be/U1Eg-vtSABE
Further readings: Stephen Battaglio, ‘Meet the archivist who saved the historic footage that became Summer of Soul, Los Angel Times, 19 August, 2021.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-08-19/meet-the-archivist-who-rescued-the-concert-footage-that-became-the-summer-of-soul
Still: Summer of Soul, Searchlight Pictures
