The massacre, which came to be called Peterloo, can be seen as a foundational milestone of class struggle not just in England but all of Europe. According to reports, the great British filmmaker Mike Leigh has long sought to make a film about the events leading up to the massacre, and the massacre itself. I wish the long-gestating dream had.
SynopsisA drama based on events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where British forces fired on a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter's Field in Manchester.The notorious massacre saw British government forces charge into a crowd of 60,000 that had to demand political reform. The forces killed an estimated 18 protestors and injured hundreds, sparking outcry but also further government crackdowns.This was a defining moment in radical British history which also played a significant role in the founding of the UK's leftwing broadsheet newspaper The Guardian.' There has never been a feature film about the Peterloo Massacre.
The universal significance of this historic event becomes ever more relevant in our own turbulent times.' Mike LeighOfficial Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2018 - Masters.
From then, it can be even longer before a movie winds up on a streaming site like Netflix or Amazon Prime.A digital release will likely be made available around the same time as the DVD for purchase on Amazon Video or iTunes.No dates, however, have been confirmed.The official plot synopsis of Peterloo reads: “An epic portrayal of the events surrounding the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British history. “The massacre saw British government forces charge into a crowd of over 60,000 that had gathered to demand political reform and protest against rising levels of poverty.“Many protesters were killed and hundreds more injured, sparking a nationwide outcry but also further government suppression.“The Peterloo Massacre was a defining moment in British democracy which also played a significant role in the founding of The Guardian newspaper.”Peterloo had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2018.Peterloo is available in cinemas now.