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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 7 OctOber 2020
Steve McQueen unveils an anthology of racism and resistance

NEW YORK (AP) — In a mov- greeting you? Some thugs.
ie year mostly lacking big, You go to work and what's
ambitious releases, Steve greeting you? A racist boss,"
McQueen's "Small Axe" an- says McQueen. "Within that
thology is an unqualified narrative, you have to find
main event. While many your own joy, your own cel-
other filmmakers are on ebration."
hold, the "12 Years a Slave" Police brutality is more at
director has raced to finish the forefront in "Mangrove"
not one but five new films. and "Red, White and Blue."
The movies, spanning 1968 The title of "Mangrove" re-
to 1985, are each individ- fers to a Notting Hill Ca-
ual stories about the West ribbean restaurant run
Indian community in Lon- by Frank Crichlow (Shaun
don. They are testimonies Parkes). A proudly Carib-
of resistance. Each tale res- bean community gather-
urrects a chapter of recent ing place, police regularly
history to illuminate the dai- harass its customers, spur-
ly oppressions of institution- ring protests (Letitia Wright
al racism and the struggles plays British Black Panther
against it — in courtrooms, leader Altheia Jones-Le-
in all-white police precincts, Cointe) and leading to a
in segregated schools. historic trial.
"These are stories that have Steve McQueen arrives at The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Breakfast in Los An- "Red, White and Blue,"
made my life possible as geles on Dec. 5, 2018. which is to premiere Satur-
an artist, as a British Black Associated Press day, is about Leroy Logan
man," McQueen, who was (John Boyega, in his most
born in West London to the filmmaker of "Hunger," the past but the present," vivid, pulsating life a blues arresting performance yet),
Grenadian parents, said in "Shame" and "Widows," says McQueen. "People's party from 1980, when an aspiring research sci-
an interview from London. "Small Axe" is a shattering sacrifices, people's deter- young London Black peo- entist who, after his father
"You look back to look for- masterwork — a compen- mination — that's why these ple found refuge, and love, (Steve Toussaint) is beaten
ward, and also to judge dium, both damning and films are important. They re- at house parties. The movie by police, elects to join the
how far we've come." celebratory, of Black resil- shaped the landscape of — joyous and sensual — is force to attempt to create
The scope of McQueen's ience. the United Kingdom. They wall-to-wall reggae bliss. change from the inside.
achievement has been The format — isolated films paved the foundation for Still, in this, the brightest of "Someone's got to be the
gradually coming into fo- that are most powerful as a multicultural London soci- the five acts, there are re- bridge," he says. Yet his col-
cus during the New York collective — is itself symbol- ety." minders of the cruelties lurk- leagues mostly just heap
Film Festival. By Saturday, ic. The title comes from a The films will run in a dif- ing outside. racist abuse on him.
three of the films will have West African proverb pop- ferent order in November, "It's festering, it's moldering. Both films have moments of
bowed (two had been set ularized by Bob Marley: "If but McQueen began by Even with 'Lover's Rock,' battles won and the omi-
to premiere at the can- you are a big tree, we are premiering "Lovers Rock" as there are sharks and alliga- nous sense of a longer war.
celed Cannes Film Festival). a small axe." the festival's opening night tors circling constantly. At They also have beautiful,
All will play on the BBC and "It's a story about why we gala. The only fictional tale the blues party, you come full-hearted scenes of fam-
Amazon in November. For are here. It's not just about of the bunch, it brings to out the door and what's ily, music and love.q

Guitar rock god Eddie Van Halen dies of cancer at 65

By MARK KENNEDY died. He was 65 band and helped knock album and then with the for Teacher."
NEW YORK (AP) — Eddie A person close to Van disco off the charts start- blockbuster record "1984," Van Halen is among the
Van Halen, the guitar virtu- Halen's family confirmed ing in the late 1970s with which contains the classics top 20 best-selling artists of
oso whose blinding speed, the rocker died Tuesday his band's self-titled debut "Jump," "Panama" and "Hot all time and the band was
control and innovation pro- due to cancer. The per- inducted into the Rock and
pelled his band Van Halen son was not authorized to Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
into one of hard rock's big- publicly release details in Rolling Stone magazine put
gest groups, fueled the un- advance of an official an- Eddie Van Halen at No. 8
mistakable fiery solo in Mi- nouncement. in its list of the 100 greatest
chael Jackson's hit "Beat It" With his distinct solos, Ed- guitarists.q
and became elevated to die Van Halen fueled the Solution Sudoku
the status of rock god, has ultimate California party

In this Aug. 5, 2004 file photo, Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van
Halen performs in Phoenix.
Associated Press
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