McLibel

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McLibel is the story of two ordinary people who humiliated McDonald's in the biggest corporate PR disaster in history.

McDonald's loved using 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 and postman Dave Morris.

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, McLibel is the David and Goliath story of two people who refused to say sorry. And in doing so, changed the world.

McLibel was made over ten years by first time filmmaker Franny Armstrong. It was made entirely independently as no broadcaster would commission the story. So the crew worked (mainly) for free and the equipment was donated. The drama reconstructions were directed by world-renowned director Ken Loach, who also donated his services to the production.

An earlier version of the film, McLibel: Two Worlds Collide was released in 1997 and was seen by more than 22 million people worldwide.

Interesting fact: lots of the music in the new film is from two British pop groups, The Band of Holy Joy and The Playthings. Both of which Franny just happened to be the drummer in, years ago. (Well, how else do you get music for free?).

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