SOUL POWER
USA 2008 – Director: Jeffrey Levy-Hinte – Original language: English, French – Subtitles: English – Length: 93 min.
For three nights in 1974 the biggest American R&B artists of the time, including James Brown, BB King, Bill Withers, Celia Cruz and The Spinners, performed together with African soul stars in front of a packed crowd in Kinshasa, Zaire. Organised to coincide with the legendary "Rumble in the Jungle" fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, the "Zaire 74" concert was an equally historic event. At the height of their careers, empowered by the return to their African roots, the musicians gave momentous performances. In 2006 the award-winning When We Were Kings brought the Ali-Foreman fight to the big screen using verité footage filmed at the time by acclaimed cinematographers. That film’s editor Jeffrey Levy-Hinte has crafted Soul Power from the wealth of never-before-seen footage that remained: scenes of the concert’s organisation, views from the streets of Kinshasa and the legendary performances and electric atmosphere of the concert itself. Now, 30 years on, we all have a chance to witness the power of soul.
"Joyously funky - an instant classic!" Variety
"A unique moment in time is now on record, an invaluable time capsule ... Knockout." Screen International
English/Original Title: Soul Power. Camera: Paul Goldsmith, Kevin Keating, Albert Maysles, Roderick Young. Sound: Tom Efinger. Editing: David Smith. Production: Antidote International Films, Inc.. Producer: Jeffrey Levy-Hinte. International Sales: Celluloid Dreams.
