Review of Mangrove (Black British History Film)

In this video, I'll be reviewing Mangrove, a film by Steve McQueen on the Mangrove Nine. The Mangrove Nine case was a crucial milestone in Black British history, and particularly Black Caribbean British history. The film is part of a series of films entitled Small Axe. Mangrove debuted at the BFI London Film Festival in 2020 and is now being aired on BBC here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vy19b. The BBC blurb has the following:

"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."