Mike

First released in 1999 the documentary film by Ian Levine "The Strange World Of Northern Soul" has over time generated a lot of discussion here on Soul Source. With over 10 hours of footage and 130 artists it certainly was a one off. Now 26 years later since the first showing at Blackburn it now seems that Part 1 (Over 4hrs) has now been officially released for public online viewing as it now shows on the Ian Levine Channel on Youtube Its just been added to our in-house Soul Source Video feature, so you can now view, comment etc in ease via the link below

Soul film news and then some more soul film news seems to be the current thrust here on Septembers Soul Source. Todays soul music cinema news is all about the word that a new documentary film titled 'Miss Sharon Jones' is making its Worldwide Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival The documentary concerns itself with the life and music of Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. 'Miss Sharon Jones' focuses on a 12 month period which saw the singer battle to overcome a very serious illness and then make the return lo making music. Directed by two-time Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple, this title joins the ever and I do mean ever increasing list of 'must watch' soul related films Here's the blurb and such, no trailer seen yet "Now, ladies and gentlemen," says fast-talking Dap-Kings guitarist and announcer Binky Griptite, "the star of our show — the super soul sister with the magnetic je ne sais quoi — Miss Sharon Jones!" Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings kick in with their funky, revivalist rhythm and blues backed by hard-driving horns. And so begins this deeply soulful documentary about the singer's year-long battle with cancer, and her struggle to hold her career together and return to what she loves most: the stage. This story finds its perfect match in the two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple. In this, the fortieth Toronto International Film Festival, Kopple is, alongside Wim Wenders and Chantal Akerman, one of three returning directors who had a feature the very first year: her now-classic Harlan County USA (also screening at this year's Festival). She has a steadfast determination to go wherever a story may lead. Miss Sharon Jones! exemplifies the power of cinema-vérité as Kopple follows her subject for over a year when the future is most uncertain. More info,via the below link http://tiff.net/festivals/festival15/tiffdocs/miss-sharon-jones

If waiting for the long overdue Aretha Franklin documentary "Amazing Grace" you may have to wait just that little bit longer as Variety is reporting the below... The Toronto Film Festival has pulled “Amazing Grace” after the Aretha Franklin documentary became the subject of a legal dispute. In a statement, the festival said the film’s producers made the decision not to show the picture about the “Respect” singer. “We are extremely disappointed that Toronto audiences will not be able to see this extraordinary piece of art,” the festival said in a statement. “The footage in the film is truly a cinematic treasure of 20th century music and we hope global audiences will have opportunity to experience this film once a resolution is found.” Jon D. Cantor, an attorney for the singer, said a screening at the Chicago Film Festival in October has also been canceled. full story via http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/amazing-grace-toronto-film-festival-screening-canceled-aretha-franklin-1201587897/ Youtube showing of Amazing Grace Movie Trailer Apparently the Toronto Film Festival Showing is being replaced by the showing of a film that you may have heard of before.... "Northern Soul"

Even though out earlier this year there has been a recent flurry of publicity regarding this documentary film (it was screened last weekend at Cambridge UK film festival) and playing at a lot of upcoming USA and Australian venues. So a quick info post as this PBS documentary does looks like its one to keep an eye out for release dates. Here's the press blurb, trailer, links, reviews etc THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION is the first feature length documentary to explore the Black Panther Party, its significance to the broader American culture, its cultural and political awakening for black people, and the painful lessons wrought when a movement derails. Master documentarian Stanley Nelson goes straight to the source, weaving a treasure trove of rare archival footage with the voices of the people who were there: police, FBI informants, journalists, white supporters and detractors, and Black Panthers who remained loyal to the party and those who left it. Featuring Kathleen Cleaver, Jamal Joseph, and many others, THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION is an essential history and a vibrant chronicle of this pivotal movement that birthed a new revolutionary culture in America. DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Seven years ago, I set out to tell the story of the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, a little known history that hadn’t been told in its entirety. In particular, I wanted to offer a unique and engaging opportunity to examine a very complex moment in time that challenges the cold, oversimplified narrative of a Panther who is prone to violence and consumed with anger. Thoroughly examining the history of the Black Panther Party allowed me to sift through the fragmented perceptions and find the core driver of the movement: the Black Panther Party emerged out of a love for their people and a devotion to empowering them. This powerful display of the human spirit, rooted in heart, is what compelled me to communicate this story accurately. It is essential to me as a filmmaker to try and give the viewer a sense of what it has meant to be black in America and consider this within our contemporary context. The legacy of the Black Panther Party had a lasting impact on the way black people think and see ourselves, and it is important that we look at and understand that. As a great lover of music, I wanted to capture this sentiment in the music we used to give audiences a sense of the time and the undercurrents of change and revolution. I knew that archival footage would be just as important as interviews when telling this story. The Black Panther history cannot be encapsulated in sound bytes and stills; the movement continues to live and breathe in the hearts and minds of those who endured. I had to dig deeper for footage that captured an authentic portrayal of the Party and which was not distorted by mainstream media. What I found was a treasure of personal records from former members and allies across the globe. These rarely seen images became an important character in the film, telling the story of how the Black Panther Party impacted all communities. There is something incredibly powerful in seeing an array of faces - white, Asian, Latino, black, and native - together at a Black Panther Party rally calling for the reform of corrupt and unjust state institutions. Nearly half a century later, we find our voices in a renewed chorus for justice and equality. We continue to witness a state apparatus that perpetuates a culture of fear and aggression with frequent and unwarranted displays of racial violence and oppression. As we consider the similarities between the injustices of yesterday and today, it is important to understand that the Panthers were energized largely by young people - 25 and under - who started as a small group of actively engaged individuals that collectively became an international human rights phenomenon. My hope is that the film reveals itself to be more than just thought-provoking observations of our past. The parallels between pivotal moments within the movement and events occurring in our communities today are undeniable. To better understand the Black Panther Party is to be able to better reflect on our own racial climate and collective responsibility to ensure basic rights are fulfilled, not diminished, and that voices of justice and dissent are celebrated, not silenced. —Stanley Nelson, Director Upcoming Screenings via the link at the end - USA and Australia Critics’ Pick. Stanley Nelson’s excellent new documentary…like any good work of history, sticks close to the facts, plotting complex events into a packed, fast-moving timeline… The film captures the drama of their rise and fall without sacrificing the nuances… The bulk of the testimony –rousing, rueful, funny and frank – comes from within the Black Panther rank and file… Mr. Nelson makes a strong case for their importance as both a political and cultural force… Sober yet electrifying.” – A.O. Scott, The New York Times “The release of THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF A REVOLUTION is well timed. Next year will mark half a century since Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panthers, in Oakland, California… The period is revived by a wealth of songs on the soundtrack, and by the sleek and succulent Panther look. The black beret, the leather jacket, the bountiful hair: has any demeanor made such an impact, so fast? Photographers came flocking, and (Nelson) is at liberty to feast on the images, both still and moving, that ensued.” – Anthony Lane, The New Yorker "Thorough and thought provoking!" -Kenneth Turan, The Los Angeles Times Website Home page http://theblackpanthers.com/home/

First a quick thanks to all the members who entered, the competition for what was one of the biggest prizes that have ever had here on Soul Source DVD/CD Set The Odyssey A Northern Soul Time Capsule The lucky winner has been drawn and announced. Full details of the prize and the lucky winner via the link below..