The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

The problems that created the Black Panthers still haunt America and so director Stanley Nelson's grippingly detailed documentary couldn't be more timely. A grassroots organisation formed to bring better education and nutrition into the African-American community, the Panthers became famous for tackling racial abuse via rallies, protests and even patrolling the police themselves. But few will know of the party's ten-step programme of community improvements that included free breakfast for children and medical clinics. Nelson spent seven years compiling unseen footage with over 50 original interviews into a compelling piece of film history. In a film that's both educational and entertaining, the rise and fall of the most alluring and controversial black organisation of late-1960s America comes to life via facts, vivid images and unique statements.