Beyoncé has once again proved, she is that girl. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” has been on my mind ever since its announcement back in early October. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait.
The documentary-style film is a retelling of the many performances by Queen B during her Renaissance world tour. Plus, audiences get to see behind the curtain of what goes into producing a show as grand as hers.
Between clips of Beyoncé and her background singers/dancers performing, the audience listens to Beyoncé narrating the process of designing her stage, picking outfits and encountering conflicts that arose in the process of producing the tour.
There were also many clips of her audience in awe of what was happening on stage. Many attendees were seen wearing extravagant silver getups with fringe, sequins and cowboy hats.
Beyoncé was not the only celebrity performer who was seen in the film. Her daughter, Blue Ivy, performed alongside her, tuning her dancing skills for the opportunity to perform in front of the beehive (Beyoncé’s fans). Kendrick Lamar made an appearance for his rendition of Beyoncé’s song “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM.” Diana Ross also graced the stage by singing “Happy Birthday” to Beyoncé. Last, but certainly not least, Megan Thee Stallion performed her and Beyoncé’s “Savage Remix,” while performing in Houston (the hometown of both performers).
One rather cathartic moment from the film was when Beyoncé revisited her childhood home and surrounding community in Houston. It is apparent that she takes great pride in being from Houston, that being the town where she began her singing career as a child. As an audience member, I interpreted this as Beyoncé reminding her audience to be grateful for your beginnings.
Beyoncé mentions that this tour is her moment for gratitude, relishing in her accomplishments and reflecting on the hard work she’s done to achieve the stardom she possesses today.
One crucial aspect of “Renaissance” is the importance of acceptance. Beyoncé says she wanted the Renaissance tour to be a place of safety and community, where everyone felt welcomed and loved for who they are. This is evident in the beats and inspirations within the album.
The album and concert pulls lots of inspiration from queer ballroom culture, which is a place of radical acceptance for those who are generally misunderstood by society. By ballroom culture, I do not mean the type with poofy gowns and tuxedos. This ballroom is the type that plays house music, embraces over-the-top dancing with drops and dips and 360 flips and highlights the talent of queer people of color.
Beyoncé also pays homage to her late uncle Johnny, who is referenced in her song “HEATED.”
She says her uncle was a great inspiration to her, helping her find an appreciation for music and supporting her in every aspect he could throughout her career. She acknowledged how he must have struggled greatly in his life as a gay black man.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, more so than “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” It brought me back to when I attended the Renaissance tour in Los Angeles last September. In theaters, I got a much better view of the elaborate visuals and performances that took place on stage. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” gets five out of five silver stars from me!