A new documentary by Questlove about the life and iconic career of funk legend Sly Stone, dubbed SLY LIVES! Will be one of the films to watch out for at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
The festival will take place from Thursday, 23 January, to Sunday, 2 February 2025.
This project was announced in 2022, and it seems to be a follow-up to Questlove’s directorial debut with Summer of Soul.
Summer of Soul will premiere at the annual Utah-based festival, which begins in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 23.
While announcing the project in 2022, Questlove said:
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“It goes without saying that Sly’s creative legacy is in my DNA… it’s a Black musician’s blueprint. To be given the honor to explore his history and legacy is beyond a dream for me. Sly’s influence on popular music and culture as a whole is immeasurable, and what his career represents is a parable that transcends time and place.”
Head of MRC Non-Fiction, Amit Dey, also added that:
“Questlove’s vision, sensitivity, and reverence bring the urgency that Sly’s story and music deserve, and we’re excited to be working with him to bring Sly’s story to life.”
The Roots drummer’s initial connection with Sly on film came in Summer of Soul, which spotlighted the 1969 Harlem Culture Festival—a festival that didn’t receive the type of mainstream appreciation or coverage as another famous 1969 festival, Woodstock.
In September, it was also announced that Questlove will also be helming a documentary about the iconic group Earth, Wind & Fire.
The film, for which no title has been revealed, will reportedly feature “exclusive” access to the group’s archives and has the support of the band and the estate of EWF founder Maurice White, who died in 2016.
“Having been baptized in the Afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us, and more importantly, I’ve learned and rediscovered myself in the process.
I’m so excited to be part of the process of preserving their positive but very vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle,” Quest said.
Quest looks to Instagram with a captioned post of his announcement.
“It’s time for good people. It’s official! SLY LIVES! (AKA The Burden of Black Genius) will premiere at the 2025 #Sundance Film Festival.
Questlove also added the film’s official description:
“Directed by Oscar-winner Ahmir ‘Questlove” Thompson, the film explores the life, music, and cultural impact of Sly Stone, shedding light on the challenges faced by Black artists navigating success.”
