Good Screenings

McLibel

Directed by Franny Armstrong

Synopsis

The David and Goliath story of the postman and gardener who took on McDonald's in England's longest-ever court case - and won.

About the director

Franny Armstrong

Former pop drummer and self-taught filmmaker Franny Armstrong has to date directed three feature documentaries - The Age of Stupid (2008), McLibel (2005) and Drowned Out (2003) - which have together been seen by 60 million people on TV, cinema, internet and DVD worldwide. Through her company, Spanner Films, Franny pioneered the “crowd-funding” finance model, which allows filmmakers to raise reasonable-size budgets whilst retaining ownership of their films - Age of Stupid is the most successful known example, raising £800,000+ from 300+ investors - as well as the “Indie Screenings” distribution system, which lets anyone make a profit by holding screenings of independent films - Stupid was screened locally 1,100+ times in the first six months. In March 2009, the solar-powered Age of Stupid "People's Premiere" set a new Guinness World Record by being simultaneously screened in 63 cinemas across Britain, whilst only producing 1% of the emissions of a standard premiere. It also hit No 1 at the UK Box Office. Then in September 2009, a million people watched Stupid's Global Premiere event - featuring Kofi Annan, Gillian Anderson & Radiohead's Thom Yorke - in 700 cinemas in 63 countries, linked by satellite. At the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009, Franny presented a daily web TV show, The Stupid Show, which aimed to "make sense of humankind's most important get-together". In September 2009 Franny founded the 10:10 climate campaign which aims to cut the UK's carbon emissions by 10% during 2010 and which has amassed huge cross-societal support including Adidas, Microsoft, Spurs FC, 55,000 people, 1,500 schools, a third of local councils, all the cabinet and the Prime Minister. 10:10 will launch internationally - initially in America, Australia, Norway, Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, France and the Maldives - in mid 2010. In November 2009, Franny was rescued by a cycling Boris Johnson (the Mayor of London) when she was attacked by a gang of school girls. No, really. Franny is a Londoner born and bred.

• "An irresistible David and Goliath tale... you can't help but cheer along"
  - Seattle Times
• "An often-hilarious exposé of big business arrogance and an extraordinary example of independent filmmaking"
  - Sydney Morning Herald
• "Absolutely unmissable"
  - The Guardian
• "Truly, hilariously dramatic"
  - San Francisco Weekly
• "Hilarious and engrossing"
  - BBC
• "Twists the dagger in McDonald's clogged arteries"
  - Orlando Sentinel
• "Satisfies both head and heart"
  - Time Out
• "More rousing than anything Hollywood could come up with"
  - Channel 4

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More Information

McLibel is the inside story of the postman and gardener who took on McDonald's. And won.

Franny Armstrong's hit documentary has already been seen by 24+ million people, as well as helping change UK laws.

McDonald's love to use the UK libel laws to suppress criticism. Major media organisations like the BBC and The Guardian crumbled and apologised. But then they sued gardener Helen Steel, now 39, and postman Dave Morris, now 50.

In the longest trial in English legal history, the 'McLibel Two' represented themselves against McDonald's £10 million legal team. Every aspect of the corporation's business was cross-examined: from junk food and McJobs, to animal cruelty, environmental damage and advertising to children.

Outside the courtroom, Dave brought up his young son alone and Helen supported herself working nights in a bar. McDonald's tried every trick in the book against them. Legal manoeuvres. A visit from Ronald McDonald. Top executives flying to London for secret settlement negotiations. Even spies.

Seven years later, in February 2005, the marathon legal battle finally concluded at the European Court of Human Rights. And the result took everyone by surprise - especially the British Government.

McLibel is not just about hamburgers. It is about the importance of freedom of speech now that multinational corporations are more powerful than countries.

Filmed over ten years by no-budget Director Franny Armstrong (The Age of Stupid, Drowned Out), McLibel is the David and Goliath story of two people who refused to say sorry. And in doing so, changed the world.

As a result of McLibel - plus Super Size Me, Jamie's School Dinners and Fast Food Nation - there was a sea-change in awareness of healthy eating and the British government changed the law, making it illegal to advertise junk good to kids.

As well as winning numerous awards, McLibel was recently chosen as one of only two UK films in the the British Film Institute’s series, Ten Documentaries Which Changed The World (the other being no less than Michael Buerk’s Ethopia report, which led to Live Aid).

It has now been seen by over 24 million people worldwide.

4 hours of Extras, including 21 special features:
- Commentaries from Franny Armstrong, Ken Loach and defendants Helen Steel and Dave Morris
- Comedian Rob Newman playing everybody who's ever said anything ridiculous about McDonald's
- The original leaflet at the centre of the trial
- McDonald's post-verdict press conference
- Interviews with Eric Schlosser, George Ritzer and Michael Mansfield, Howard Lyman and Ronald McDonald
- Interactive quiz
- Photos

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