Small Axe

A collection of five films by Oscar winner Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave), Small Axe is based on the real-life experiences of London’s West Indian community between 1969 and 1982.

The anthology has won over 24 international awards, including a Critics Choice Award for John Boyega, a BAFTA for Malachi Kirby, and a Royal Television Society Award for Shaun Parkes in 2021, with Letitia Wright and Micheal Wright also nominated for a BAFTA. The series was also nominated for an Emmy for its cinematography and won five BAFTA craft awards, with McQueen taking home the Innovative Storytelling European Film Award.

The second film, Lovers Rock, was named the best film of 2020 by Sight & Sound in its poll of over 100 critics globally. Set over a single evening at a house party in 1980s West London, Lover Rocks follows intertwined relationships against a background of violence, romance and music. The film has a 98% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics consensus calls it “a lovingly crafted ode to Black joy.”