FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Opening Night Green Carpet Gala Kicks Off on Friday, June 25, 2021,
with the Boulder Premiere of Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
BOULDER, Colo. (May 27, 2021) – The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) is pleased to announce its annual Opening Night Gala and the Boulder premiere of the film Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. Summer of Soul will screen Friday, June 25, 2021 at 7:30pm at Chautauqua Auditorium and is preceded by the Green Carpet Gala at 5:30pm on the beautiful green space outside Chautauqua. There will be an additional film-only screening at 4pm on June 25. The festival is limiting indoor capacities at all of its venues.
“We’re thrilled to feature Summer of Soul at Chautauqua Auditorium on Opening Night. It’s an incredible film, featuring music from some of the best singers and musicians of all time, and reflecting upon a turning point in Black life in America. It’s going to be a very special Opening Night for our 17th year,” said Robin Beeck, BIFF’s Executive Director. “BIFF 2021 will be one of the first big events in Boulder since the 2020 festival last March, and we’re excited to come together and celebrate with our community.”
Friday, June 25, 2021
Chautauqua Auditorium: Opening Night Film:
Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
USA, Feature Documentary, 2021, 117 minutes
4:00 pm: Opening Night Screening 1, $35 Film Only
7:30 pm: Opening Night Screening 2 plus Gala, $95/Free for Passholders
5:30 – 7:00 pm: Opening Night Green Carpet Gala preceding the 7:30pm screening
Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
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 100 miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and 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 never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Staples Singers, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more.
SUMMER OF SOUL premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. It will stream on Hulu in conjunction with Disney General Entertainment’s the Onyx Collective; Searchlight Pictures will release it theatrically.
Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Produced by: Joseph Patel, p.g.a., Robert Fyvolent, p.g.a., David Dinerstein, p.g.a.
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm BIFF Opening Night Green Carpet Gala
The Opening Night Green Carpet Gala is an outdoor celebration and will be held on the Chautauqua Green outside the auditorium. Pasta Jay’s, Red F Catering and Provisions, and Savory Cuisines will provide a selection of tasty bites to enjoy alongside wines from Francis Ford Coppola Winery, and local beers and Snowmelt hard seltzer from Upslope Brewing. Note: The Gala is not included in the 4pm film-only $35 ticket.
Tickets are ON SALE now at biff1.com. The entire program will be announced on June 4, 2021. Stay tuned for updated information and filmmaker announcements.
What’s New in 2021:
BIFF is pleased to announce new programming and venue additions:
- Outdoor Cinema: BIFF will hold outdoor screenings at the Boulder High School Soccer Field. Attendees will BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair) and enjoy some of BIFF’s world-class films in the great outdoors.
- BIFF at Home: The Festival will offer online virtual cinema from June 24-July 3
- CineCHEF 2021 will be held at the Rayback Collective, Thursday June 24th.
- BIFF 2021 Venues: In addition to Chautauqua and the Outdoor Cinema, venues will also include Boulder High School Auditorium and the Century Theaters. The festival will be limiting capacities at all of its indoor venues.
BIFF 2021 is generously supported by: The Daily Camera, KUNC/105.5 The Colorado Sound, St Julien Hotel & Spa, Vermilion Design + Digital, Capital One Cafe, Audi Flatirons, Daryl Smith Re/Max of Boulder, Chautauqua, Rick Baker Insurance, Millstone Evans Group, Pasta Jay’s, CBS4, 5280 Magazine, Via, Todd Reed, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, City of Boulder, First Western Trust, Frasier, LIV Sotheby’s, Hotel Boulderado, Savory Cuisines, Kingsbery CPAs, Brock Media, Rayback Collective, RiverCloud Media, Upslope Brewing Company, Space Farmer Productions, Stylus Creative, Travel Boulder, Unico, and the City of Albuquerque.
About the Boulder International Film Festival
The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) brings films and filmmakers from around the world to Boulder, Colorado for a four-day celebration of the art of cinema. BIFF attracts more than 25,000 film enthusiasts, media, and industry members annually and takes place in 2021 from June 24-27. For tickets and more information, go to biff1.com. Follow BIFF on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
# # #
Press Contact: Heather Collins | 303-250-4797 | heather@hcollinsmarketing.com