EXCLUSIVE: The spring lineup for the Emmy-winning documentary showcase Independent Lens is looking funky, by design.
WE WANT THE FUNK!, “a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music” directed by Stanley Nelson and co-directed and produced Nicole London, is set to debut April 8 on the long-running PBS series. The documentary, featuring James Brown, George Clinton, Questlove, David Bowie, and Elton John, explores “the funk genre’s influence on contemporary music, fashion, freedom of expression, and its role in the rise of hip-hop.” Scroll for the full spring IL lineup.
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WE WANT THE FUNK! – April 8 – WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness. Featuring James Brown’s dynamism, the extraterrestrial funk of George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic, transformed girl group Labelle, and Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, the story also traces funk’s influences on both new wave and hip-hop.
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All films will also be available to stream on the PBS app following premiere day.