Small Axe
Season 1
 (313)IMDb 7.92020X-Ray16+
Small Axe is a collection of five original films by Steve McQueen set from the late 1960s to the mid 1980s that tell personal stories from London's West Indian community, whose lives have been shaped by their own force of will despite rampant racism and discrimination. New film every Friday from Nov 20-Dec18.
Starring
John BoyegaLetitia WrightShaun Parkes
Genres
Drama
Subtitles
English [CC]
Audio languages
EnglishEnglish [Audio Description]

Watch for $0.00 with Prime

By ordering or viewing, you agree to our Terms. Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Get Help

Episodes (5)

  1. 1. Mangrove
    November 19, 2020
    2 h 7 min
    16+
    Mangrove tells the story of a restaurant and its owner in London’s Notting Hill; repeated police harassment leads to a protest march where nine arrests are made and result in a show trial at the Old Bailey in 1971, making legal history. The true story of the Mangrove Nine.
  2. 2. Lovers Rock
    November 26, 2020
    1 h 10 min
    16+
    Lovers Rock is for lovers and rockers everywhere; and a love letter from Steve McQueen to the blues parties of yesteryear, when clothes were tight, and dancers smooched and skanked to the selector’s choice for a hot summer night in 1981.
  3. 3. Red, White and Blue
    December 3, 2020
    1 h 20 min
    16+
    Red, White and Blue spotlights the true story of Leroy Logan, who at a young age saw his father assaulted by two policemen, motivating him to join the Metropolitan Police and change their racist attitudes from within.
  4. 4. Alex Wheatle
    December 10, 2020
    1 h 6 min
    16+
    Alex Wheatle follows the true story of Alex Wheatle, award winning writer for young people, and his own remarkable and often hilarious journey through the care system, and then to prison following the Brixton Uprising in 1981.
  5. 5. Education
    December 17, 2020
    1 h 3 min
    16+
    Education is the story of an everyday hard working family whose daily lives are disrupted when Kingsley, the 12 year old son, is sent to a school for those with “special needs”. Education reveals the disgraceful story of Haringey Councils Educational segregation Policy in 1971.

Bonus (10)

  1. Bonus: Small Axe - Red, White and Blue Trailer
    Watch on supported devices
    November 22, 2020
    1min
    TV-14
    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.
  2. Bonus: Small Axe - Alex Wheatle Trailer
    Watch on supported devices
    November 29, 2020
    30sec
    TV-14
    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.
  3. Bonus: Small Axe - Red, White and Blue Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
    Watch on supported devices
    December 3, 2020
    5min
    TV-14
    Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the third film in the collection—Red, White and Blue.
  4. Bonus: Small Axe - Lovers Rock Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
    Watch on supported devices
    November 26, 2020
    4min
    TV-14
    Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the second film in the collection—Lovers Rock.
  5. Bonus: Small Axe - Official Trailer
    Watch on supported devices
    September 19, 2020
    2min
    TV-14
    "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.
  6. Bonus: Small Axe - Education Trailer
    Watch on supported devices
    December 9, 2020
    30sec
    TV-14
    The story of adolescent Kingsley, who has a fascination for astronauts and rockets. As a result of being disruptive in class, he discovers he’s being sent to a school for those with “special needs.” His parents soon discover the unofficial segregation policy preventing many Black children from receiving the education they deserve and fight to stop it.
  7. Bonus: Small Axe - Mangrove Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
    Watch on supported devices
    November 19, 2020
    4min
    TV-14
    Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the first film in the collection—Mangrove.
  8. Bonus: Small Axe - Mangrove Trailer
    Watch on supported devices
    September 17, 2020
    1min
    TV-14
    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.
  9. Bonus: Small Axe - Alex Wheatle Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
    Watch on supported devices
    December 17, 2020
    5min
    TV-14
    Small Axe Executive Producers take you behind the scenes of the fourth film in the collection—Alex Wheatle.
  10. Bonus: Small Axe - Lovers Rock Trailer
    Watch on supported devices
    November 15, 2020
    30sec
    TV-14
    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.

The Films

  • Watch Mangrove film available on Prime Video
  • Watch Lovers Rock film available on Prime Video
  • Watch Red, White and Blue film available on Prime Video
  • Watch Alex Wheatle film available on December 11, 2020
  • Watch Education film available on December 18, 2020
  • Watch Mangrove film available on Prime Video
  • Watch Lovers Rock film available on Prime Video
  • Watch Red, White and Blue film available on Prime Video

OFFICIAL PLAYLIST

Listen to the Small Axe Official Playlist on Amazon Music
Listen NowMusic Promo CTA Arrow Icon

Characters

  • Altheia Jones
    Mangrove
    Altheia Jones
    Altheia Jones Lecointe was one of the defendants in the Mangrove 9 trial, and was a leading member of the British Black Panther Movement.
  • Altheia Jones
    Mangrove
    Altheia Jones
    Altheia Jones Lecointe was one of the defendants in the Mangrove 9 trial, and was a leading member of the British Black Panther Movement.

Videos

  • Anthology Trailer

    Anthology Trailer

  • Mangrove Behind-the-Scenes

    Mangrove Behind-the-Scenes

  • Lovers Rock Behind-the-Scenes

    Lovers Rock Behind-the-Scenes

Next Slide
  • Anthology Trailer

    Anthology Trailer

  • Mangrove Behind-the-Scenes

    Mangrove Behind-the-Scenes

  • Lovers Rock Behind-the-Scenes

    Lovers Rock Behind-the-Scenes

Image Gallery

  • Altheia Jones-Lecointe watching in the Mangrove
  • Altheia Jones-Lecointe giving a speech to the crowd
  • Protestors taking to the streets
  • The Mangrove 9 standing trial
Next Slide

About The Creator

Headshot of director and creator Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen

Academy Award winner Steve McQueen is a British artist and filmmaker. His critically acclaimed first feature HUNGER (2008), starring Michael Fassbender as an IRA hunger-striker, won the Camera D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. He re-teamed with Fassbender for his follow up feature SHAME (2011) for which Fassbender won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actor, ranks as one of the highest grossing NC-17 rated movies. McQueen’s 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013) dominated awards season, winning, amongst many others, the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and AAFCA Awards for Best Picture while McQueen received DGA, Academy, BAFTA and Golden Globe directing nods. His most recent feature WIDOWS (2018) was one of the best reviewed films of the year and starred Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Elizabeth Debicki and Michelle Rodriguez.

McQueen is the recipient of many accolades for his work as a visual artist. In 2016, the Johannes Vermeer Award was presented to him at The Hague. In that same year, the British Film Institute awarded McQueen with a Fellowship. McQueen won the Turner Prize in 1999. His artwork is exhibited and held in major museums around the world. A retrospective was recently exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago and at the Schaulager in Basel. Tate Modern and Tate Britain were home to two critically acclaimed shows in 2019/2020, Year 3 and a Retrospective Steve McQueen.

In 2020, McQueen was awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his services to the Arts.

Headshot of director and creator Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen

  • Academy Award winner Steve McQueen is a British artist and filmmaker. His critically acclaimed first feature HUNGER (2008), starring Michael Fassbender as an IRA hunger-striker, won the Camera D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. He re-teamed with Fassbender for his follow up feature SHAME (2011) for which Fassbender won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actor, ranks as one of the highest grossing NC-17 rated movies.

Cannes Festival LaurelNew York Film Festival Laurel

Connection, Cooking and Conversation

Follow on Social Media

More details

Directors
Steve McQueen
Supporting actors
Amarah-Jae St AubynMicheal WardSheyi ColeKenyah Sandy
Producers
Steve McQueenTracey ScoffieldDavid TannerMichael ElliottAnita Overland
Season year
2020
Network
Amazon Studios
Content advisory
Drug usefoul languagesexual contentviolence
Purchase rights
Stream instantly Details
Format
Prime Video (streaming online video)
Devices
Available to watch on supported devices

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
313 global ratings
5 star
82%
4 star
3%
3 star
2%
2 star
1%
1 star
13%
How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

Xander
1.0 out of 5 stars The people about whom the movie was made cannot view it. Rubbish!
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2020
Read more
374 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse
curlingriver
5.0 out of 5 stars Black People, Black Panthers and the London Police at Trial 1968
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
Read more
110 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse
Donkey's Breath
5.0 out of 5 stars Much needed mainstream reality.
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
Read more
111 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse
Filomina
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, moving. A realistic portrait of West Indian life in 1960s UK
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2020
Read more
86 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse
Jo
5.0 out of 5 stars Fire!
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
Read more
80 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse
Sami B
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and heart wrenching - this review is based on the first offering - The Mangrove.
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2020
Read more
63 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse
Dancing Queen
5.0 out of 5 stars POWERFUL!
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2020
Read more
53 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse
Movies Fan
1.0 out of 5 stars Fake
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2020
Read more
51 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report abuse