Questlove’s Doc ‘Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius)’ Full Trailer
by Alex Billington
January 22, 2025
Source: Twitter
“They sounded like nothing else sounds.” Hulu has unveiled their main official trailer for the documentary called Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius), which is premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. It’s one of the first big opening night films screening tomorrow (Thursday) on the very first day of Sundance 2025. Questlove’s latest music history doc is an examination of the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone — the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone — captures the band’s rise, reign, and subsequent fadeout while also shedding light on the unseen burden that comes with success for Black artists in America. Drawing from his own personal experience and relationships, Questlove tells an empathetic human story about the cost of genius, reframing the way we all engage with pop culture. Sundance says the film is “a revelatory journey born from a deep understanding of the band’s far-reaching influence and impact” featuring an “incredible soundtrack, exuberant archival footage, thought-provoking discussions with family, band members, scholars, and musicians.” Yep this sounds great – I’m in. Get a look.
Two official trailers for Questlove’s doc Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius), from Twitter:
Sly Stone didn’t just make music—he made history. SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) premiering January 23 at the 2025 #Sundance Film Festival. @hulu pic.twitter.com/0RVjibp8UW
— Sundance Film Festival (@sundancefest) January 22, 2025
Oscar-winning filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson directs his sophomore feature music documentary follow-up to Summer of Soul. SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) examines the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone, the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone. This film captures the rise, reign and subsequent fadeout of one of pop music’s most influential artists, but also shines a light on how Black artists in America navigate the unseen burden that comes with their success. Drawing from his own personal experience and relationships, Questlove tells an empathetic human story about the cost of genius, reframing the way we all engage with pop culture. Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) is directed by musician / filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, directing his second feature film after making Summer of Soul previously. Produced by Joseph Patel and Derik Murray. This is premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival this month in the Premieres section. Hulu will then debut Questlove’s Sly Lives! doc streaming on Hulu starting February 13th, 2025 coming soon. Look any good?
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