The Mangrove restaurant in Notting Hill doubled as a community centre for Black Londoners to exchange ideas and to commune. As police brutality and harassment intensified, the Mangrove also became a site of resistance leading to the wrongful arrest for incitement to riot of nine local activists including Altheia Jones-LeCointe (Letitia Wright) and Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby).

Oscar winner Steve McQueen’s depiction of the infamous 55-day trial is a moving instalment from his Small Axe anthology series, a collection of films that evoke memories, political events and a critical perspective on life for London’s West Indian community between the 1960s and 1980s. In this present moment, with its rallying cry for abolition, McQueen’s incredible cast deliver with great assurance a seminal moment in British history that also encapsulates the global Black struggle.

Tickets for the cinema screenings of Mangrove on Wednesday 7 October will be free but ticketed. Given the limited supply these tickets will be available through a lottery which opens on Thursday 1 October at 10am. Enter now.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO ADS OR TRAILERS. THE FILM WILL START 15 MINUTES AFTER THE ADVERTISED TIME.

The 64th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express is all across the UK, inviting you to experience the world’s best new films wherever you are. Enjoy 12 days of UK premieres online via BFI Player or in cinemas throughout the UK - and also join us for a range of free-to-access digital events, XR and Immersive Art and more. Find out more. Browse the rest of the BFI London Film Festival at QFT programme here.

_{We're delighted to swing open the cinema door once more. You might like to read more about the new measures we're taking to reduce the risk from COVID-19, including our new allocated seating. Find out more here. If you have any questions, we've got a new range of FAQs here, and you can email us on qftmanager@qub.ac.uk.}