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22 October 2020 / John Cooper KC
Issue: 7907 / Categories: Features , Profession
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The show(s) must go on

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John Cooper QC ‘attends’ this year’s BFI London Film Festival & reviews an opening film heavily laced with law

This year’s BFI London Film Festival, which ran from 7 October to 18 October 2020, was delivered in unusual circumstances, with all the films online and networking being confined to virtual chatrooms. But among all these COVID driven changes, there were still some high-class offerings for those who like their movies heavily laced with the law.

Much anticipated Mangrove

The Festival opened with Steve McQueen’s much anticipated Mangrove. McQueen directed this drama and based it upon the notorious trial in the 1970s when nine black people were arrested and charged with incitement to riot.

The seminal trial was held over 55 days after which the so-called Mangrove Nine were all acquitted. This December marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the trial.

The trial was based upon an incident between a group of black radicals and allegations brought against them arising from violent clashes with the police during a protest

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