Music festivals take on a whole new meaning when their names are mentioned singularly.

Coachella, Glastonbury, Monterey, Woodstock.

Another of the hidden gems of the festival community that is also one that has evolved for nearly a quarter of a century is a seemingly unlikely setting – a village in Italy that brings together some of the world’s best soul artists from the US and beyond in a celebration of what this type of music brings to people’s lives and sense of enlightenment.

The brand-new documentary, Lost Pictures’ A SOUL JOURNEY, which played as part of the London Independent Film Festival 2020, is another of those significant attempts to shed some light, through the artistry of film, the whole feeling and joy of hosting such a festival in such an off-the-track place.

The place is Porretta – and a hidden delight to those who play and those who watch those who play each year, which has been repeated – since the first event in 1988 – by the efforts and passion of one man – Graziano Uliani.

This is not just about a music festival and according to one person interviewed on the film, it is the last festival in Europe that actually showcases Rhythm and Blues and Soul as it should be played.

Historically, there was some resistance from locals who seemingly were unsure of the idea of black artists coming to play in this locality, which probably had a lot of natives who had not travelled more than a mile, or got involved with relationships more than two miles away, but suddenly because of the decline of other amenities found that there was a lot of financial and political value in keeping a good-hearted music festival in the local loop.

Artists such as Guitar Shorty, The Muscle Shoals, Otis Clay, Otis Redding and Solomon Burke – and seemingly forgotten artists like Spencer Wiggins – have found a new place of artistic and spiritual satisfaction through lyrical and musical expression in this place.

Uliani reflects on the connection to the purist roots that artists like the late Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone and megastar Adele connect to, as well as the legends like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones whose own legacy is rooted also.

A SOUL JOURNEY also reflects on the commercial potential of Blues over Soul Music, which appears to be more lucrative on the European continent.

Like the Motown / Funk Brothers documentary STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN, A SOUL JOURNEY gets to the very definition and essence of what it means to be a pure Soul artists in the world, with a group of very talented individuals who have met all kinds of historical and prejudicial challenges in their lives – and have used music to transcend and discover inner strength amongst not only themselves – and others.

It is a film that deserves to be seen, but at present there appear to be some musical rights issues from the estate of Otis Redding who, according to revelations in the post-LIFF screening Q and A, are asking a great deal of money from the film-makers who have limited resources – and who may have to re-edit the film for a future release. Hopefully, it won’t be long before the film does see the light of day.

A SOUL JOURNEY screened as part of the London Independent Film Festival 2020.

For tickets and info, please go to:

http://www.liff.org/

For further information about the Poretta Soul Festival, please go to:

https://www.italybyevents.com/en/events/emilia-romagna/porretta-soul-festival/

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