The Riots 2011: One Week in August

2011 saw the largest wave of disorder in the UK since the 1980s. This revelatory film hears from the people who experienced the riots up close and personal. A decade on, we look back at the summer of 2011 through the eyes of those whose lives have never been the same since. In a series of candid interviews, we hear the story from all angles. Convicted rioters, frontline police, a judge, a government advisor and a grieving father look back at that week in August, and the years that followed, to piece together what really happened and why.

Directed by James Jones, The Riots 2011: One Week in August leans on a strong ensemble — David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Nick Clegg — 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 documentary titles of 2021.