Mangrove: Last News

With December right around the corner, it’s time for endless “best of” lists, and this year John Waters returns with his signature early and peculiar selection of best movies of the year. Waters is famously one of the most opinionated filmmakers with a truly varied taste for films, and his list for 2020 is just what you’d expect from the man behind “Pink Flamingos” and “Hair Spray” during the year 2020.

Sure, the new trailer for “Small Axe” dubs the anthology as a “new series,” but this project from filmmaker Steve McQueen is no TV series. In fact, it’s a group of five feature films that can be viewed separately or together and paint the picture of life for a group of people in London’s West Indian community throughout the decades.

A West Indian proverb holds, “If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.” “Lovers Rock,” the first film made available of Steve McQueen’s Amazon miniseries “Small Axe,” first interpreted the saying as a metaphor for the joyous spirit in the Black British community. But his newest installment, “Mangrove” swings a different emphasis on the rebellious phrase.

“If you are the big tree, we are the small axe,” this is the Jamaican proverb that has inspired filmmaker Steve McQueen‘s, “Small Axe,” 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. READ MORE: NYFF 2020: 12 Most Anticipated Films You Need See Three of the “Small Axe” film are playing at the now-started New York Film Festival, “Mangrove,” “Red White And Blue,” and just premiered before the weekend to much critical acclaim, “Lovers Rock.” Our review by Robert Daniels described the film as an atypical Steve McQueen affair.

Ever since its announcement as part of this year’s Cannes Film Festival Official Selections, Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology series from Amazon has been positioned as one of the 2020 fall festival darlings. And it appears that is playing out at this year’s New York Film Festival, which will not only debut a feature-length episode of the anthology as its Opening Night film but will also showcase two additional episodes as part of the main slate.

Even without an event happening in 2020, the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival announced their lineup of films that make up this year’s “Official Selections.” And perhaps the most surprising announcement to be made is the fact that Steve McQueen had two features selected. Yes, you read that right—two films.

Even without an event happening in 2020, the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival announced their lineup of films that make up this year’s “Official Selections.” And perhaps the most surprising announcement to be made is the fact that Steve McQueen had two features selected. Yes, you read that right—two films.