Roots drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, is officially the new hardest-working man in show business. In addition to keeping the beat with The Roots on The Tonight Show for the past 12 years, as well as directing the mind-bending 2025 doc Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music and winning an Oscar for his 2022 music documentary Summer of Soul, the indefatigable timekeeper will open this year’s Tribeca Festival with his latest deep-dive music doc, Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World).
The Festival announced the news on Tuesday morning (April 14), revealing that the screening of the film directed by Thompson about the beloved funk/soul band will be followed by a live performance by the nine-time Grammy-winners alongside the Roots at the Beacon Theatre on June 3. The night will end with an opening night after-party at Tavern on the Green in New York City’s Central Park.
“It is an absolute honor to bring this project to the Tribeca Festival,” said Thompson in a statement. “The past two years of deep research and creative magic surrounding Earth, Wind & Fire have been nothing short of transformative. They remain one of the most culturally significant bands in history, and this project finally illustrates exactly why their legacy is so vital.” In addition to the SNL special and Summer of Soul, Thompson also directed the 2025 documentary Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius), a loving look at late Sly and the Family Stone founder Sly Stone.
Tickets for this year’s festival are on sale now here.
According to a release, Thompson’s film “examines the band’s lasting legacy, cultural influence, and body of work, with rare access to archival materials and a focus on the vision of founder Maurice White. Building on Questlove’s acclaimed work in music documentaries, the film reflects Tribeca’s continued investment in artist-driven storytelling at the intersection of film and music.”
The movie — co-produced by Thompson, Dave Sirulnick and Samantha Grogin, KB White and Arron Saxe — will debut in the U.S. on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max later this year.
“Opening Night is always a magical moment! This year, as we celebrate 25 years of the Festival, it is especially meaningful,” added Tribeca Festival co-founder and co-chair Jane Rosenthal in a statement. “Tribeca was born in the wake of 9/11 with a belief: that storytellers have the power to bring communities together. For 25 years, we’ve seen artists, filmmakers, musicians, and audiences come together in New York City in ways that are inspiring, surprising, and deeply human. We are humbled by what’s been achieved and excited for the stories yet to come.”
The opening night screening of the EW&F film in the festival’s 25th year is a coming home of sorts for the veteran group, who were also on hand to help kick things off on opening night in 2017.
Tribeca director and SVP of programming Cara Cusumano added, “We are thrilled to welcome Questlove to the Festival to premiere a film that represents everything Tribeca stands for: creative pioneers at the top of their game in front of and behind the camera, showcasing the joy and community that great art manifests. Paired with a rare live performance from Earth, Wind & Fire and The Roots, Opening Night will be a once-in-a-lifetime New York event that reflects the energy, creativity, and communal experience that has defined Tribeca for 25 years.”
Click here for more information about the 2026 Tribeca Festival.
