After seven days of great cinema, the closing of this rich 67th edition of the Taormina Film Festival could only be extraordinary.
The three artistic directors have managed to make a big splash, to preview a film that has been awaited for over a year now, Black Widow, which should have opened phase IV of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and which instead finds itself a turning point, after the Marvel series that characterized the beginning of 2021 on Disney+.
It will be the last time we will see Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow, joined in this story – in which we will discover the origins of the character – by a dysfunctional family composed of the other Black Widow, a more experienced one played by Rachel Weisz, and a younger one, Florence Pugh, which could also anticipate a handover.
David Harbor as Red Guardian, the Russian equivalent of Captain America, complete the cast. This Black Widow adventure places itself in the timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe right after the events narrated in Captain America: Civil War.
Valuable information for cinecomic lovers, but the film is absolutely independent and perfectly usable even for those who are not experts in the genre. And speaking of genre, Black Widow is a full-fledged spy story.
The screening of Black Widow is scheduled at the Palazzo dei Congressi at 21:30. The film will arrive in Italian cinemas on July 7 and from July 9 on Disney + in VIP access.
The summer when the world changed
At the Greek Theater, on the other hand, we go back in time, to the summer of 1969, when, just before the epochal Woodstock concert, in Harlem, New York, the Harlem Cultural Festival was staged.
Every Sunday, from June 29 to August 24, at Mount Morris Park, some of the greatest artists of black music of that period did a gig. Nina Simone, B.B. King, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and many more.
A thrilling program, but music aside, the goal was the most important thing. The event was a celebration of African American culture, and it is no coincidence that it was later renamed the Black Woodstock.
Summer of Soul is the story of those months and brings to light an event that was eclipsed by three days of peace, love and music and which was then forgotten.
Ahmir Khalib Thompson, better known as Questlove, leader of The Roots, one of the most innovative bands in the hip hop scene, tore the veil. He is the director of Summer of Love, which will be the closing evening event of the Greek Theater, after the awards ceremony.
Summer of Love won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival as well as the Audience Award, and will be available on Disney + from 30 July.
