NOW Magazine Hot Docs review: Summer Of Soul (… Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson's doc about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival is essential viewing for music fans By Kevin Ritchie Courtesy of Hot Docs Mavis Staples (left) and Mahalia Jackson share the mic in a scene from Summer Of Soul. SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) (Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson). 117 Minutes. Rating: NNNNN As a musician, podcaster and author, the Roots drummer and main man Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has a way of taking the intricacies of musicianship or seemingly obscure behind-the-music stories and finding something profound. His Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning documentary debut Summer Of Soul, about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, essentially lets him do this at feature-length, resulting in a perfect equilibrium between stunning performance footage and insightful musical and social analysis.