Harry Belafonte rose to fame in the 1950s as a singer and actor, bringing the Caribbean sounds of calypso music to the charts years before anyone coined the phrase "world music". However, for Belafonte fame and wealth were never as important as the opportunities they created for him to make the world a better and more just place, and he's nearly as well known for his work as an activist as for his career in the arts. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr, fought against apartheid in South Africa, spoke out for economic justice in America and abroad, raised money for famine relief in Africa, and condemned Joseph McCarthy's communist witch hunt (and was blacklisted for his troubles). Filmmaker Susanne Rostock offers a captivating portrait of Belafonte as an artist, activist, and individual in this documentary, in which he discusses his music and acting, what drove him to become an activist, the remarkable men and women he's worked with over the decades, and the triumphs and disappointments of his personal life.
As a singer he released a song called Matilda back in 1956 this became his first widely-released single, and went on to become his "signature" song. His breakthrough album Calypso (1956) became the first LP in the US to sell over 1 million copies within a year. Alongside the career of a singer he was a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and was one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s confidants. Sing Your Song is a documentary about the untold story of Harry Belafonte as a singer and an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes. Last year at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Sing Your Song won the Most Popular Nonfiction Film Award through an audience ballot. The film was also presented as the Closing Night selection of Maryland Film Festival 2011 by Belafonte himself.
*Belafonte still finds ways to address injustice - and now we have over 50 years of his example to follow and his music to enjoy. * New York Daily News
*Really more of an effusive autobiography of the 84-year-old singer-actor than a traditional documentary* Los Angeles Times
*A deeply respectful look at the extraordinary life of Harry "Day-O" Belafonte – the calypso musician and actor who helped Hollywood find its social conscience* The Guardian
*A deeply respectful look at the extraordinary life of Harry "Day-O" Belafonte – the calypso musician and actor who helped Hollywood find its social conscience* The Guardian
Watch the trailer below:
Screening on: Monday 8th October at 7.45pm
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