Netflix sets Beyoncé special, ‘Homecoming,’ for April 17

Frank Lovece

With her traditional stealth in surprise releases, music star Beyoncé will premiere a Netflix documentary on April 17 about her landmark performance at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Following a teaser image with the word “Homecoming” that Netflix tweeted on Sunday, the streaming service on Monday dropped a minute-and-a-half trailer for “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé.” An accompanying news release described the film as having “candid footage and interviews detailing the preparation and powerful intent behind her vision” for the nearly two-hour show on April 14, 2018, that celebrated America’s historically black colleges and universities. “‘Homecoming’ traces the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement,” the release went on.

The performance made Beyoncé the first woman of colour to headline the Indio, California, festival held every year but one since 1999.

Netflix offered no further details. It was unclear if 23-time Grammy Award-winner Beyoncé, 37, herself directed or simply produced the film. Imdb.com gives a running time of 137 minutes, which Netflix would not confirm. The streaming service did reassure a Twitter commenter concerned about the Netflix website crashing due to heavy viewership on April 17, replying, “we got you.”

The trailer offers rapid-fire images of preparations for the concert and of the show itself, both backstage and on, as well as brief shots of Beyoncé with her music-mogul husband, Jay-Z, 49, and their children, 7-year-old Blue Ivy and twins Rumi and Sir, 21 months.

It opens with a long voice-over by the late poet, author and activist Maya Angelou, from the CBC’s “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight New Year’s Eve Special” of Dec. 31, 2013. “What I really want to do is be a representative of my race, of the human race,” she says. “I have a chance to show how kind we can be, how intelligent and generous we can be. I have a chance to teach and to love and to laugh. I know that when I finish doing what I’m sent here to do I will be called home. And I will go home without any fear or trepidation. …” She advises, “Tell the truth. To yourself first. And to the children.”

No review screeners are being made available for the film. Beyoncé has not commented publicly.

Tribune News Service