Resistance in a Hostile Environment Resistance in a Hostile Environment

History · 2021 · 1 hr 29 min BBC Select
Available on Prime Video, BritBox

Charting the period between 1961 and 1971, this is a searing account of how members of the British Black Power movement challenged police oppression and political prejudice. At the heart of the documentary is a series of astonishing interviews with past activists, many of whom are speaking for the first time about what it was really like to be involved in this revolutionary organization.

History · 2021 · 1 hr 29 min
Director George Amponsah

Season 1

  • EPISODE 1

    Black Power

    Charting the period between 1961 and 1971, this is a searing account of how members of the British Black Power movement challenged police oppression and political prejudice. At the heart of the documentary is a series of astonishing interviews with past activists, many of whom are speaking for the first time about what it was really like to be involved in this revolutionary organization.

    1 hr 29 min · Mar 24, 2021
  • EPISODE 1

    Subnormal

    While young black adults were getting to grips with the struggle for black power in Britain, there was a question of how society viewed young black children. This disturbing documentary reveals how black children in the 1960s and 1970s were routinely sent to schools for the educationally subnormal, and how parents, activists and teachers came together to fight this injustice.

    59 min · May 19, 2021
  • EPISODE 1

    Fire

    In the early hours of January 18th, 1981, in a house in south London, a birthday party ended in a fire. Thirteen young black British people died. The fire and its aftermath would ignite an uprising by the black British community. This gripping documentary, directed by Oscar-winner Steve McQueen, tells the stories of those at the party and the repercussions of that tragic night.

    59 min · Jul 20, 2021
  • EPISODE 2

    Blame

    As news spread about the New Cross fire, the scale of the tragedy overwhelmed the local community. Amid uncertainty about whether the fire had been a racist firebomb attack, anger mounted at the police investigation and the seeming indifference of the press and the government. The Black People's Day of Action, a mass demonstration, was organized to bring the tragedy to the attention of the nation.

    59 min · Jul 20, 2021
  • EPISODE 3

    The Front Line

    After the New Cross fire and the Black People's Day of Action, tensions between the community and the police deteriorated. This escalated when a massive stop-and-search operation targeted black people on the streets of Brixton. In April, the situation boiled over into one of the biggest riots in British history. Oscar-winner Steve McQueen tells the story of the riots and their aftermath.

    59 min · Jul 20, 2021

Trailers

  • Resistance in a Hostile Environment: Uprising Trailer

    History · 3 min
  • Resistance in a Hostile Environment: Subnormal Trailer

    History · 3 min
  • Resistance in a Hostile Environment: Black Power Trailer

    History · 3 min

Related

Cast & Crew

  • G‌A

    George Amponsah

    Director
  • E‌L

    Emma Loach

    Producer
  • C‌S

    Clare Sillery

    Producer
  • Steve McQueen

    Producer
  • J‌R

    James Rogan

    Producer
  • S‌R

    Soleta Rogan

    Producer
  • Tracey Scoffield

    Producer
  • David Tanner

    Producer
  • H‌B

    Helen Bart

    Producer

About

Resistance in a Hostile Environment

History

Charting the period between 1961 and 1971, this is a searing account of how members of the British Black Power movement challenged police oppression and political prejudice. At the heart of the documentary is a series of astonishing interviews with past activists, many of whom are speaking for the first time about what it was really like to be involved in this revolutionary organization.

Information

Studio
Lammas Park, Rogan Productions Ltd
Released
2021
Rated
TV-MA
Region of Origin
United Kingdom
© 2021 Lammas Park, Rogan Productions Ltd

Languages

Original Audio
English (United Kingdom)
Audio and Subtitles
English (United Kingdom) (AAC, CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
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