I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Blistering performances.

This documentary, directed by Susanne Rostock, is a detailed look at the great entertainer Harry Belafonte's career as well as his tireless social activism.Born in Harlem into a broken family, Belafonte began working as a janitor's assistant. One day, he was given, as a gratuity, two tickets to the American Negro Theater. He was totally enthralled and eventually became a member himself, along with Sidney Poitier and Brock Peters.Belafonte started to go to the NYC club the Village Vanguard, where he began to be influenced in his singing style by Huddie Ledbetter and Paul Robeson. As Robeson told Belafonte, you will find your own style and then you can "sing your song".Given an opportunity to perform in a Broadway play for the first time, in "3 For Tonight", Belafonte was an instant sensation and even won a Tony award. He began to tour nationally in various shows, but it was here that he came across the horrors and humiliations of racism against blacks. This would spark his eventual activism and later he would become a stalwart of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's.His record "Scarlet Ribbons" won him national recognition and later his calypso sounds such as "Day-o" would enable him to become a world famous performer. Surprisingly, he would also become a teenybopper idol at the time.Alongside his artistic fame came Belafonte's brave and tireless efforts to help those in need. In addition to his leadership in the Civil Rights movement, he also became involved in the African independence movements, Native American rights, Ethiopian campaigns to help starving children, as well as trying to help those in Haiti. Still now, in his 80's he's working to end gang violence, change the skewed minority numbers in prison, and advocating for youth activism.The film doesn't go too deeply into Belafonte's personal life but does have some interviews with his children and former wives, as well as some home movies. There are plenty of wonderful film clips of Belafonte's performances on stage, TV, and movies which brought back lot of memories for me.All in all, I thought the documentary did a fine job at presenting this remarkable American icon and activist. I was engrossed throughout and felt I learned quite a bit as well.

This film brought tears to my eyes. I grew up listening to this man's music because my grandparents listened to his music, but I was totally ignorant about his life or level of involvement and influence in the civil rights movements of the 60's and ongoing fight until resent day. I had no idea bout his activism and amazing life. This film honestly has changed me and really allows me to focus on my dreams to help to create a better community. I have nothing but love and respect for this man. He is a living legend and carries an amazing legacy. Everyone should watch this film, it is extremely moving and profound a great education. Mr. Belafonte is a fighter for a better human condition. I have a new found love and respect for Harry Belafonte. He is one of the greatest human beings to walk this earth.

I've seen several pieces entitled "Sing Your Song". This morning, I think I found the most affecting one. It is dated 2011 and ends in a way that invites more.In the documentary, Belafonte captures the heart and soul of the Civil Rights Movement and embraces subsequent efforts to bring the world back to loving acceptance. I was there for the Civil Rights movement and can almost touch the feelings stirred up by the pastiche of images and sounds. I remembered, and then I learned. I learned how the attempts to keep us separated from one another are playing out in today's world. And I learned how frustrating is the journey to find a unifying idea that will touch today's people. God bless Harry Belafonte, because he keeps trying to find that idea/ideal. He reaches more of us than he knows.It isn't perfectly made - too much material, too little time. But see it for its impact on your spirit, and then begin to think what you can do.

I've just viewed this superb documentary - it brings forth the remarkable life and man that is Harry Belafonte in a vivid and compelling manner. Sadly, however the entire widescreen (16x9) framed production presents it's archival clips and sequences (from early TV, movies, and news footage) in a hodgepodge of correctly re-adapted but otherwise visually distorted ways with no rhyme or reason. Much of the production is from archival sources - and so it's horribly distracting to see much of the footage in a vertically challenged way - stretched to fit the 16x9 frame. There is actually a shot of the sun that appears oval !!!! This is the sort of thing that is maddeningly now prevalent in so much of what is produced today -- but I didn't expect to see so much of it in a fine professionally produced and prestigious documentary such as this one.