Jun 3: Small Axe (2021) dir. Steve McQueen

In February 2020, just before the world changed forever, my son and I went to London to see a Q and A with the film director and artist Steve McQueen.

It was held at Tate Modern. Steve was interviewed by the sociologist and cultural studies scholar Paul Gilroy.

Steve talked about a series of films that he had just made for the BBC which focused on particular incidents in the history of Black Britons.

These turned out to be the Small Axe series, which has also won numerous awards for the actors and other people involved in their production.

They can all be watched on iPlayer.

Episode 1 was Mangrove

Mangrove tells the true story of Frank Crichlow, whose West Indian restaurant Mangrove, a lively community hub in London’s Notting Hill, attracted locals, activists, intellectuals and artists.

In a time of blatant racial discrimination, Crichlow finds himself and his drug-free business the brunt of relentless police raids. In a bid to stop the discrimination and ruination of their community base, Frank and his friends take to the streets in peaceful protest in 1970, only to be met by police aggression.

As a result, nine men and women, including Frank, leader of the British Black Panther movement Altheia Jones-LeCointe and activist Darcus Howe, are wrongly arrested and charged with incitement to riot and affray. A highly publicised trial ensues.

Here's Steve McQueen talking about the film:

Read about the five films in the series here, which includes the origin of the name: from a Bob Marley lyric.