Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
Liberation.
God, I really don’t know where to begin. This album means a lot to me. I think front to back I’ve listened at least a hundred, if not hundreds of times. RENAISSANCE came to me at a really contemplative moment in my life, a transitionary period, which I feel like I’m still in, and has soundtracked the navigation of my feelings.
In moments of darkness or fear, this album was a beacon of hope. A reminder that joy and liberation does exist. The album is carefree, pure expressionism, a tribute to letting go of perfectionism, of conforming to other people’s ideas of you, of being free. In writing this, I also understand how insane this sounds, but I truly believe sometimes art just speaks to you on such a deep level and unlocks and unearths feelings which you aren’t always able to articulate.
With the album being such a focused statement of freedom, it makes complete sense why this album in particular would lend itself to such a magical production. I was lucky enough to attend a show in person and this film just brought me back to my experience watching the show live. I clearly have bias but I truly think this is the best concert put to stage, and easily the best concert documentary film ever made.
The film not only encapsulates such a revolutionary show but also adds so much behind the scenes, that never deter from the show, but only enhance the viewing experience and the appreciation you have for the artistry on stage.
Beyoncé is such a fascinating person. Undoubtedly, she is the performer of all time. I really don’t think this is arguable. She has such a distinctive vision and encompasses so many parts of the creative process, it’s hard not to watch in awe.
However, what I adored about this film is how Beyoncé rejects the auteur theory and showcases how not a single person is capable of pulling off what was done in these shows. She highlights and lauds each and every person who worked with her to create such an intense and precise experience, and you feel her effervescent pride in everyone who worked on these shows. The interstitials which break up the concert never feel out of place and are always additive to the story. The behind the scenes process is equally as interesting as the concert. Most of the breaks are narrated by Beyoncé, expressing her thoughts and appreciation for her team, reminiscing on her family or reflecting on her own place and what this era means to her and how she wanted this to be received by people. No matter what she was saying, I was completely transfixed by her voice. She has a way of speaking which is just so powerful, commanding your attention, and these moments allowed her to express freely. Many of these moments had lines which were completely profound and really moved me.
Much like her previous endeavour, Homecoming, she uses editing in such a creative and engaging way which allows the concert to flow back and forth between these behind the scenes and never does it feel out of place. She also levels up the outfit change from Homecoming to a just completely ridiculous level, it’s honestly unbelievable. The sharp cuts, the comedy, the emotion, the transitions, some of the best editing I’ve seen in a film.
I will not get into the performance as a whole because I will not stop speaking, but as expected she was flawless. However, she wasn’t. Which is also just the point of this album, of letting go, of having fun and being able to express freely without the pressure of everything being right, and the film showing these flaws makes it feel even more special.
Some brief highlights however, HEATED, is that bitch and will forever be that bitch, truly the way it’s edited with the sound design of the crowd made this song feel like a pure expression of freedom, it captured the feeling of when I saw her live (which was the coco canel show). Really enjoyed Blue’s story in this and how her story very much felt from the perspective of Beyoncé. COZY and those cunty machines ate as expected, and ALIEN SUPERSTAR was phenomenal. AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM was glorious as well, so was PURE/HONEY. Genuinely the whole show, and the cinematography in this out every other concert movie to shame, even her previous work.
Was mad how PURE/HONEY ballroom scene was only slightly featured but like I really don’t have many issues