The apex of Black Power. When we were kings explored the fight between Muhammad Ali and Foreman in 1974, and here Zaire 74, the previous festival is documented. James Brown, Miriam Makeba, B.B. King and more, all black and proud.

Friday 6th / 22:15 / Rex (*)
Saturday 7th / 16:15 / Rex
Sunday 8th / 20:15 / Rex
(*)Presentation & Q&A with Jeffrey Levy-Hinte

The apex of Black Power; the peak of Soul Power. If When we were Kings explored the fight between Muhammad Ali and Foreman in 1974, this film documents Zaire ‘74, the festival that preceded it. This is the building of "a great movement", as James Brown called it. Soul Power is a film that evolves on three levels: on the one hand it's a testimonial as to how an event of such magnitude is set up, on the other it's a first class historical-political document (the liberation of Afro-American communities and independent African states), and finally, it's one hell of a piece of funk music. Because Soul Brother #1 James Brown reins on stage (with statements such as "You can't have freedom without a dime"), although he's not alone: he's accompanied by the falsettos of the Spinners, Celia Cruz's mind-blowing Fania, the intimacy of the wise Bill Withers, the uninhibited African zaniness of Miriam Makeba, the funkified blues of veteran B.B. King. On the rebound, Muhammad Ali confronts the world, promoter Don King strolls around charged up with his voltaic afro, and the Real Africa stands before us like the beautiful creature it is. An unforgettable lesson of history, politics, sport and funk.

JEFFREY LEVY-HINTE is the acclaimed director from New York who gave us Roman Polanski, Wanted and desired, The last winter (eco-horror film) and Bomb it (about graffiti), amongst many others.