Other than some rain on the first day of the festival, it is pulled off without a hitch, and all the attendees remained peaceful. The best part of the film comes next, which is the concert footage. Pharrell has made friends all over the musical map in his decades-long career, and many of them joined his crusade to bring joy to the folks of Virginia Beach. There are snippets of performances from Leikeli47, Pusha T, Tyler the Creator, SZA, ASAP Ferg, Teddy Riley (who, for those of you who might not know, helped Pharrell start his career), and Missy Elliot with Timbaland. Then, we see Pharrell team up on songs he produced with Usher, Jay Z, Snoop Dogg, Diddy, and more.
Hydration showcases what can happen with the power of positivity and community. People of all stripes came to help out, including Virginia native Dave Grohl, who didn’t even perform but instead cooked barbecue. Additionally, Deepak Chopra hosted a meditation session. The college students, police officers, firefighters, and everyone in between were all there for the city. It was a triumphant effort on the part of everyone who was involved.
“…best part of the film…is the concert footage.”
It is essential to mention that Something In The Water wasn’t just about the music. Pharrell helped a local elementary school start a community garden. We see the kids picking the vegetables they planted at the beginning of the film. Pharrell goes backstage to congratulate the teen slam poetry group who created a poem for the festival.
Mr. Williams truly cares about Virginia Beach, and Hydration captures that love perfectly. The event was successful enough that there were talks about doing another festival, which might not be possible now due to Coronavirus. But hopefully, once we reach a new normal again, another festival can occur, and who knows, maybe even another documentary.
Hydration screened at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival.
"…a solution which became There's Something In The Water festival. "
