‘Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé’ Slightly Drops The Curtain of The Superstar’s Process

After a worldwide tour that spanned almost 8 months Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour headed to theaters on December 1 for fans to experience the show again, or for the first time. Written, directed (co-directed by Ed Burke), and produced by Beyoncé, “Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” was said to accentuate the journey of the Renaissance World Tour showing the inception of the concept while intermingling performances from the show.

The 2 hours and 49 minutes film opened with the excitement of fans entering the stadium and running to get the ideal spot for those who had standing seating. Just like the Renaissance World Tour, RWT, the first musical number that opened the film was “Dangerously in Love,” also the title of Beyoncé’s 2003 debut solo album. Throughout the film, the Beyhive got to experience HD quality performances from the tour although a number of the songs were omitted from the film documentary like “Love On Top,” “I Care,” “1+1,” and “Rather Die Young” along with the ballroom and Pure Honey singers segments which I didn’t mind because it didn’t take away from the film.

Since I was fortunate enough to attend the RWT in person during Bey’s Philly stop in July I was more interested in seeing the behind-the-scenes aspects of what went into creating the tour. During the intimate segments, Beyoncé revealed the tour took 4 years to perfect which was very interesting. The 42-year-old legend went on the explain some logistics of the tour like how many individual screens it took to create the overall bigger backdrop, how she used three stages that rotated and traveled from city to city, and the amount of women who worked on the production crew side.

These segments of the film showed how massive the Renaissance Tour really was and how much of a machine it truly was. Like Bey mentioned, one misstep would throw off the entire show, and seeing all that went into it I’m impressed there were little mishaps during the run.

For me, Bey is the queen of transitions and mashups. The way she and her team can blend songs either from other artists or from her own songs is always so exciting. (My favorite hands down is “Crazy in Love” mixed with “Back That Azz Up” by Juvenile.) Her stellar transitions were even more on display with the numerous breathtaking costumes intermingled throughout. I also want to point out that the tour ended in October, so the fact that this film was edited so quickly with what I’m sure was SO much footage to sort through was impressive.

Now I’m a Virgo and I can be very observant about the details. I don’t know about the volume in other people’s theaters, but mine was too low. I was looking forward to hearing the music busting out of the speakers and it just wasn’t giving. I also know Beyoncé is a very private person so any insight into her personal life is a treat. I loved the parts that showcased her alongside her children, but I wanted more especially when it came to the inception of the tour. I wanted more of Bey in the studio, more meetings on the stage design, more meetings on costume designs, more of the process of picking dancers, more, more, more! But would that take away from the mystique of Beyoncé?

“Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” was truly a love letter to Beyoncé’s fans but to herself as well. The hard work she put into the industry for two decades should be highlighted and commended. It’s not easy to make it in a creative space and it sure as shit isn’t easier once you’ve made it in, so to maintain a career that constantly evolves is a triumphant feat to be applauded. Blue Ivy’s segment in the film was also a small reminder of those early moments of Beyoncé’s career. Facing criticism pushed both of them to get better and I found that moment very emotional.

Overall the “Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” was a fun way to relive the tour, but nothing compares to seeing it live and feeling that energy in the stadium. The movie reiterated what people already know about Beyoncé. We know she works hard, has a unique way of converting her music into visual art, and she’s intentional about what she puts out. The film is only a slight peek into the Renaissance era, but Bey insists this is only the beginning and I’m excited to see what’s next.

“Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” is playing now in theaters.

Did you check out “Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” during the opening weekend? Which were the best parts of the film for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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