White Riot

Name: White Riot
Genre: Music, Documentary
Released: October 16, 2020
Duration: 80 min
Rating: 80
Cast: David Hinds, Dennis Bovell, Mykael S. Riley, Mykaell Riley, Pauline Black

2020

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Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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White Riot

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Movie Details & Credits

Film Movement | Release Date (Streaming): October 16, 2020 | Not Rated

Starring: David Hinds, Dennis Bovell, Mykael S. Riley, Mykaell Riley, Pauline Black, Pervez Bilgrami, Red Saunders, Roger Huddle, Ruth Gregory, Stuart Hall, The Clash, Topper Headon

Summary: Britain, late-1970s. Punk is exploding. The country is deeply divided over immigration. The National Front, a far-right and fascist political party, is gaining strength as politicians like Enoch Powell push a xenophobic agenda. Outraged by a racist speech from Eric Clapton, music photographer Red Saunders writes a letter to the music press,Britain, late-1970s. Punk is exploding. The country is deeply divided over immigration. The National Front, a far-right and fascist political party, is gaining strength as politicians like Enoch Powell push a xenophobic agenda. Outraged by a racist speech from Eric Clapton, music photographer Red Saunders writes a letter to the music press, calling for rock to be a force against racism. NME, Melody Maker, and Sounds all publish the letter. Flooded with responses, Red discovers many share his views. Teaming up with like-minded creatives Roger Huddle, Kate Webb, Syd Shelton and Australian graphic designer Ruth Gregory, the team bands together to create Rock Against Racism (RAR) and a fanzine, Temporary Hoarding. Speaking directly to the youth, Temporary Hoarding reports stories and issues that the mainstream British media ignores, like immigration, the Catholic side of the Northern Ireland conflict, and the police’s controversial “suspected persons” (sus) powers. They give a voice to the voiceless. The National Front begins to strike back, committing acts of violence against RAR supporters and petrol-bombing their HQ. Despite this, RAR spreads virally across the UK and into Europe, becoming a grassroots youth movement. The Clash, Steel Pulse, Tom Robinson and other top bands of the day jump on board. White Riot is a moment in time when music changed the world. When a generation challenged the status quo. It’s Woodstock meets the March on Washington, punk-style.… Expand

Director: Rubika Shah

Genre(s): Music, Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 80 min

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Critic Reviews

Tim Stegall

Oct 21, 2020

Through contemporary and vintage interviews, animation and live footage, White Riot insightfully and vividly details RAR’s reclamation of young Britain’s soul. Read full review

The Film Stage Christopher Schobert

Oct 15, 2020

What’s most unsettling and provocative about White Riot is how current it feels. Because of this, perhaps White Riot’s greatest achievement is that it takes something that can cause sneers and eye-rolling—committed cultural and political action—and make it feel both necessary and triumphant. Read full review

Liam Lacey

Oct 15, 2020

The film employs a punk-inspired cut-and-paste collages, smashing together footage of police and protestor clashes, rock concerts, television shows and political marches, all annotated with animated handwritten letters, posters, newspaper clippings, and excerpts from RAR’s fanzine, Temporary Hoarding. Read full review

The Observer (UK) Simran Hans

Oct 15, 2020

Rubika Shah’s smart, spirited feature debut is a whistle-stop tour of a DIY uprising. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Oct 15, 2020

An excellent brief documentary about a heroic grassroots political movement whose importance reveals itself more clearly in retrospect with every year that passes. Read full review

Donald Clarke

Oct 15, 2020

White Riot is here both to educate and to serve the nostalgists. Read full review

Stephen Dalton

Oct 15, 2020

White Riot is a timely, engaging exercise in social and cultural history, but a wider focus might have given it deeper context and broader marketability. Read full review

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