In the five years since the murder of George Floyd sent shockwaves around the globe, questions around justice, accountability and racial progress remain as urgent as ever. Backlash: The Murder of George Floyd is a new documentary from Rogan Productions, Dartmouth Films and the BBC, that seeks to grapple with these very issues by retelling the moment the world witnessed and exploring the ripple effects that followed. In this interview with Sean McKoy for THE REAL, director Kwabena Oppong reflects on his journey of making the documentary.
How did the idea come about to make this documentary?
The idea for this documentary had been gestating, being researched and developed at Rogan Productions by James Rogan and Alice Lee. I joined the development process at a later stage. As we travelled towards the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder last year, it felt important that a film was made that addressed how the last five years of race relations have progressed.
Over time it became clear that the pendulum in terms of forward progress was swinging and the more contributors we spoke to and researched, the more we felt there was a question mark about how much progress had been made. We wanted to make this film so we could understand whether lasting change is possible and what stands in its way.
How long was the film making process?
The film making process took about six months. Our filming began in November and took place across the UK and Minneapolis and our edits started in January.
How did you decide on which voices needed to be included in this film?
Our guiding principle on who we interviewed was we were struck by the theme of transformation. The summer of 2020 was an intense period of reflection and transformation, and we wanted contributors who reflected that or people who found themselves at the centre of important moments in the fight for justice.
Whether that was young people like Khady Gueye who questioned her identity over this period and became an overnight activist, Medaria Arradondo who served as police chief of the Minneapolis police department during the protests in 2020 or musician Che Lingo whose song My Block, written about his friend Julian Cole, who was left in a minimally conscious state following an assault by the Bedfordshire police Officers went viral.
How did you go about getting contributors involved?
Over the course of months, we spent time approaching and getting to know our contributors. My editorial team Producer, Satema Tarawally, Assistant Producer, Jonathan Welch and Researcher Joe Preston were essential to this. A big part of their jobs was making sure that potential contributors felt as comfortable as possible telling stories that were at times very difficult to tell.
How did you navigate the challenge of telling a story that is still so raw, painful and politically charged?
We are so grateful for every contribution our contributors have made to this film. I was privileged to film with some incredibly courageous people who shared some of the most challenging moments of their lives with honesty. Some of the interviews are raw and painful but that just shows how important this subject matter remains in 2025.
What conversations do you hope this film sparks and what actions do you want it to inspire?
I really hope it inspires further education around race relations and encourages conversations between a variety of communities in the UK and the US.
What have you learnt in the process?
This was a tough film to make but I would only have made this film at Rogan productions as they understand inherently how to make films that matter and try to inspire change. I have learnt to trust the process but also how to adapt and evolve when you are in the interview chair, in the edit or out in the field. I have been inspired by the people I work for and work with and they have really kept me going through this challenging process. Most of all, I have been inspired by my contributors’ stories and their ability to resist in the face of near insurmountable pressure is something I feel we can all learn from.
If you’ve thought this far ahead, what would you like to do next?
The dream is to make a socially conscious music documentary but until then I want this film and the stories and perspectives of our contributors to reach as many people as possible.
‘Backlash: The Murder of George Floyd’ is released May 9th in select cinemas and will be available to watch on the BBC later this month.
