| Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Documentary |
| Directed by | Jamila Wignot |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography | Bryan Gentry |
| Running time | 50–62 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | May 20 (2024-05-20) – May 21, 2024 (2024-05-21) |
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. is an Americandocumentary series directed and produced byJamila Wignot. It corrects the history ofStax Records.[1]
The documentary had its world premiere atSouth by Southwest on March 10, 2024, where it won the TV Premiere Audience Award.[2][3][4] It premiered on May 20, 2024, onHBO.[5] The series also won aPeabody Award[6] at the 85th Annual Ceremony.
The series followsStax Records, a record label that ushered in artists,Otis Redding,Isaac Hayes,Booker T. & the M.G.'s,The Staple Singers andSam & Dave; The label went from being an outsider to one of the most influential producers of music, with an impact even after the label has gone.[5][7]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Cause I Love You" | Jamila Wignot | May 20, 2024 (2024-05-20) |
| 2 | "Soul Man" | Jamila Wignot | May 20, 2024 (2024-05-20) |
| 3 | "Respect Yourself" | Jamila Wignot | May 21, 2024 (2024-05-21) |
| 4 | "Nothing Takes the Place of You" | Jamila Wignot | May 21, 2024 (2024-05-21) |
In May 2022, it was announced Jamila Wignot would direct and produce a documentary series revolving aroundStax Records forHBO Documentary Films, withEzra Edelman set to executive produce.[8]Rob Bowman served as a consultant on the series.[9]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 100% of 12 critics' reviews are positive.[10] OnMetacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 81 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[11]
Nina Metz ofChicago Tribune gave the series three out of four stars, writing: "A story of musical genius but also racism, personal tragedies and corporate greed."[12] John Anderson ofWall Street Journal also praised the series writing: "Stax may have been of a particular place and time, but Ms. Wignot resurrects it all gloriously, and grittily, and with the personality and precision of the M.G.s rhythm section."[13]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Documentary | Jamila Wignot | Won | [14] |
| Gotham TV Awards | Breakthrough Nonfiction Series | Jamila Wignot, Nancy Abraham, David Blackman, Ron Broitman, Charlie Cohen, Sophia Dilley,Ezra Edelman, Nicholas Ferrall,Jody Gerson, Lisa Heller, Tina Nguyen, Scott Pascucci,Nigel Sinclair, Michele Smith, andCaroline Waterlow | Nominated | [15] | |
| IDA Documentary Awards | Best Limited Series | Jamila Wignot, Kara Elverson, Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow, Nigel Sinclair, Nicholas Ferrall, Scott Pascucci, Sophia Dilley, Michele Smith, Jody Gerson, David Blackman, Charlie Cohen, Ron Broitman, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen | Nominated | [16] | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series | Jamila Wignot, Kara Elverson, Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow, Nigel Sinclair, Nicholas Ferrall, Michele Smith, Sophia Dilley, David Blackman, and Tina Nguyen | Nominated | [17] | |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program | Tony Volante and Andre Artis(for "Chapter Two: Soul Man") | Nominated | |||
| South by Southwest Film & TV Festival (SXSW) | TV Premiere Audience Award | Jamila Wignot and Kara Elverson | Won | [18] | |
2025 | Cinema Audio Society Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures or Limited Series | Tony Volante and Andre Artis(for "Soul Man") | Nominated | [19] |
| Peabody Awards | Documentary | HBO Documentary Films presents in association withConcord Originals,PolyGram Entertainment,Warner Music Entertainment; A Laylow Pictures production; AWhite Horse Pictures production | Won | [20][21] |