The Beanfield

2015 saw 30 years since the “Battle of the Beanfield” – a brutal crackdown on the annual Stonehenge Free Festival. Called away from policing the miners’ strike, officers enforced an injunction around the ancient stones with bloody violence and mass arrests. Determined to mark the anniversary, Breach set out to create a historical re-enactment - interviewing a traveller, a police officer and a journalist before driving to Wiltshire armed with homemade riot gear, a map and a video camera. In this multimedia show, the footage is intercut with a live performance attempting to capture the 2015 summer solstice at Stonehenge: there are hot dog stands, Hare Krishnas and MDMA, as a group of young people try to connect—but it all feels a bit fake.

Directed by Dorothy Allen-Pickard, Billy Barrett, The Beanfield leans on a strong ensemble — Billy Barratt, Grace Holme, Anna Himali Howard — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2020.