This movie isn't just about the music. It is about a Community, more than that actually, a People coming together to learn that they have an identity and a voice to express that identity to others. The movie depicts a time of desperation; the assassination of several influential people who were friends of Civil Rights including a beloved President had taken place and the Country as a whole was in a long period of mourning. Residents of Harlem were deeply affected as well. This festival, though local, was well attended by the Community of Harlem and gave the people hope. Mayor Lindsay is depicted in a very positive way in this film as a supporter of the Festival and Maxwell House, the prominent coffee in the US at the time, was the primary sponsor. The movie is highly entertaining and, naturally, allows the music to speak for itself. A great deal of the music is Gospel, as some reviewers have pointed out, that that is understandable as it speaks to the community that attended the festival. The movie captures the desperation at the time, and initiates the concept of unity and strength in numbers. Nina Simone is particularly effective in conveying a message, although, as others have pointed out, it is one of the things in this movie that make it "unable to be televised" even in now 2022. This movie seems to appeal to older people more than the young. It will speak, no doubt, strongly to those who actually lived in a Black community in the 60's and felt like the world was evolving and they were being left behind and swept aside. I don't know how any review of this movie could contain "spoilers" but just in case, I checked off "yes". I enjoyed it immensely.
