McLibel (film)


McLibel is a British documentary film directed by Franny Armstrong and Ken Loach for Spanner Films about the McLibel case. The film was first completed in 1997 as a 52-minute television version after the conclusion of the original McLibel trial. It was then extended with new footage to 85-minute feature length in 2005, after the McLibel defendants took their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Production

The 1997 version was shown at film festivals worldwide, and sold to TV in about ten countries. The 2005 extended version was released theatrically in the UK, U.S., Australia, and other countries and sold to TV around the world, notably to BBC 2 and CBC in Canada.
McLibel features courtroom reconstructions of the trial directed by well-known UK film director Ken Loach, who gave his time for free. It also features interviews with Eric Schlosser, Morgan Spurlock, Keir Starmer, and Howard Lyman of Oprah/Mad Cow infamy.

Release

McLibel was broadcast on BBC 2 in 2005, to an estimated 1 million viewers. It was then also broadcast on TV in 15 countries – including Australia, Canada and the USA – and released on DVD worldwide. McLibel was released in cinemas and DVD stores in the U.S in summer 2005 and this was followed in the UK in 2006.

Reception

, the producers estimate that more than 25 million people have seen the film.
, London, during the European Social Forum season, October 2004
The film has a 100% positive rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 11 reviews.
Metacritic gave the film a rating of 81% based on 4 reviews.
Dennis Harvey of Variety magazine describes it as "an alarming if ultimately inspiring David-and-Goliath parable for today".
Wendy Ide in The Times described McLibel as “a very watchable little film about a big battle”. The Seattle Times said “An irresistible David and Goliath tale ... you can’t help but cheer along”, and The Sydney Morning Herald called it “An extraordinary example of independent filmmaking”. A Time Out London reviewer said “a radical screen full that will satisfy both head and heart”.
McLibel was nominated for numerous awards, including the Grierson Documentary Award and the British Independent Film Awards. It was picked for the British Film Institute's prestigious series, "Ten Documentaries which Changed the World".

Home media

The DVD version was released in 2005 and features more than six hours of extras, including a spoof McDonald's commentary track from comedian Rob Newman.