Small Axe

Follows the true story of award-winning writer, Alex Wheatle, from a young boy to adulthood. Having spent his childhood in a white institutional care home without love or family, he finally finds a sense of community for the first time in Brixton. When he is thrown in prison during the Brixton Uprising of 1981, he confronts his past and sees a path to healing.

Tells the true story of Leroy Logan, a young forensic scientist with a yearning to do more than his solitary laboratory work. When he sees his father assaulted by two policemen, he finds himself driven to revisiting a childhood ambition to become a police officer; an ambition borne from the naïve hope of wanting to change racist attitudes from within.

Tells a fictional story of young love and music at a house party in 1980. Such house parties were born out of necessity when Black Londoners were un-welcome to revel in white nightclubs. Amid the West Indian community’s can-do attitude, blossomed a “Blues Party” culture, where sweethearts could dress up and celebrate life without apologies or restrictions.

"If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.” -Jamaican proverb. Small Axe is a collection of five films inspired by real-life events about ordinary people showing courage, belief and resilience to overcome injustice and achieve something transformative in their West Indian community. The television debut by Academy Award winning director Steve McQueen.

The first film of the Small Axe collection tells the harrowing true story of the Mangrove Nine who came together to lead a protest to stand-up against police brutality and injustice in their community. Starring Letitia Wright and Shaun Parkes. Written and directed by Academy Award winner Steve McQueen.

Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the fourth film in the collection—Alex Wheatle.

Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the third film in the collection—Red, White and Blue.

Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the second film in the collection—Lovers Rock.

Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the first film in the collection—Mangrove.