Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s directorial debut “Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” was taken over by Searchlight Pictures and Hulu after its Sundance premiere, where it won both the Grand Jury and Audience Awards.
“I am so honored to be able to make my dreams come true after all this time,” Thompson said in a statement. ‘This is a real honor. ‘Summer Of Soul’ is a passion project and it is incredibly rewarding to have it resonate with so many people on so many levels. I am very excited to start this new chapter with the Searchlight / Disney / Hulu team and look forward to sharing the important story behind the film with audiences around the world.
The deal, negotiated by Cinetic Media, includes worldwide distribution rights to the film, with the film set for theatrical release, and exclusive streaming on Hulu in the US and internationally on Star and Star plus.
The documentary was acquired for more than $ 12 million, two sources with knowledge of the deal tell Variety, restoring the record-breaking documentary sales record previously broken when Apple and A24 acquired Boys State at Sundance last year.
Disney’s Searchlight and Hulu landed the doc in what has been described as a bidding war between streamers, studios, and specialty divisions. But the doc’s eventual record sale, “validates and appreciates black storytellers who have been under-represented for years,” said a person familiar with negotiations.
Produced by Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein, the documentary reveals the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969. The six-week music festival, held at Mount Morris Park in Harlem, featured a line-up of some of music’s biggest names. including Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and Pips and Nina Simone. But how has a cultural moment attended by more than 300,000 people went largely unnoticed in pop culture for over 50 years? The answer lies in the more than 45 hours of footage that Thompson and his team of producers have dug up and are now bringing to the screen.
The project has landed with Searchlight Pictures and Disney General Entertainment’s BIPOC Creator Initiative, which is led by Tara Duncan.
“It’s rare to find a movie that captures the breadth of the Black American experience and also lets you dance, testify and sing out loud,” said Duncan. “Ahmir has given us a brilliantly crafted, almost forgotten gem of our history, and we are honored to bring ‘Summer Of Soul’ to the public.”
Searchlight chairmen Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula added: “Ahmir has made an incredible and inspiring debut film that is both timeless and relevant. We are very proud to be involved in bringing this cultural celebration to the widest possible audience, both in theaters and at home. “
Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Operations & Direct-to-Consumer, part of Disney Media Entertainment Distribution, called the film “both a joyful and revealing documentary, starring one of the most gifted performers of its generation.”
“We are honored with Hulu and our upcoming Star and Star plus offering will be the exclusive streaming houses around the world to this groundbreaking movie,” Campbell continued.
“Summer of Soul” is directed by Thompson and produced by Patel, Fyvolent and Dinerstein with RadicalMedia as creative and production partners. The project is produced by Vulcan Productions in collaboration with Concordia Studio, Play / Action Pictures, LarryBilly Productions and produced by Mass Distraction Media and RadicalMedia.
“It was a pleasure to support Ahmir and bring this story to life,” added Jon Kamen, Executive Producer and CEO of RadicalMedia. “We are incredibly proud of the response the film has received.”
“It was a dream to work with Ahmir to bring this long-buried treasure back to the world,” said Dinerstein and Fyvolent. “It was overwhelming to see audiences rediscover this lost piece of history and fall in love with our film.”
“As people struggle to recover their lives in the midst of a pandemic, we think this film will bring joy, along with a necessary re-examination of important social issues,” the producers continued. “We couldn’t have asked for a better launch from the Sundance Film Festival, and we’re thrilled to partner with Searchlight Pictures, Hulu and the Disney family for an epic worldwide release.”