Sly LIVES!
(aka The Burden of Black Genius) Documentary Movie Trailer HD - Plot synopsis: Oscar-winning filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson directs his sophomore feature 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.
ABOUT Sly LIVES New documentaries about Selena, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Jeff Buckley, and Sly Stone are among the films competing at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival next month.
Amir “Questlove” Thompson’s long-in-the-works Sly Lives!
(aka The Burden of Black Genius) — the follow-up to the Roots drummer’s Oscar-winning directorial debut Summer of Soul — will premiere at the fest, which begins in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah on Jan.
23.