Awake My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp

Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp is the first feature documentary about Sacred Harp singing, a haunting form of a cappella, shape note hymn singing with deep roots in the American South. Shape note singing has survived over 200 years tucked away from notice in the rural deep South, where in old country churches, singers break open 'The Sacred Harp', a 160 year old shape note hymnal. The hymnal has preserved these fiercely beautiful songs, which are some of the oldest in America. The film offers a glimpse into the lives of this 'Lost Tonal Tribe,' whose history is a story of both rebellion and tradition. The filmmakers, Matt and Erica Hinton, spent seven years documenting this yet largely unknown art form.