Kwabena Oppong is a British filmmaker and director known for his thought-provoking work that explores race, identity, and justice. He directed Backlash: The Murder of George Floyd, a powerful documentary that examines the global impact of George Floyd’s death and the complex aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protests.

In this feature-length film, Oppong offers a nuanced perspective by connecting events in the United States with reactions in the United Kingdom, highlighting the widespread reckoning with racism that followed Floyd’s murder. Through a combination of in-depth interviews, archival footage, and cultural commentary, Oppong sheds light on the deep societal divisions and the growing backlash against racial justice movements.

With Backlash, Kwabena Oppong cements his reputation as a filmmaker who is unafraid to tackle challenging subjects and spark important conversations about race and power in contemporary society.

What drew you to this project, and how did it align with your previous work as a filmmaker?

I joined the project during the development project, it was already being developed by James Rogan and Alice Lee at Rogan Productions. After some initial conversations, I was drawn to the idea of taking an unvarnished and visceral look at race relations in the US and UK and exploring the direct aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.

I have been lucky enough over the last decade to work on several projects about social issues. In the last few years, I have worked on ‘The Final’ at Rogan Productions and a documentary about Linford Christie. Both films have given me an appetite to explore one of the most important moments of the last 5 years.

How did your past experiences prepare you for tackling a story of this emotional depth and complexity?

I have worked on other projects around race and social issues, so I have learned how to sensitively approach the subject matter in a responsible manner. But nothing prepares you to tell a story of this scale until you have done it– it was a day-by-day learning experience.I was very lucky enough to work with some extremely responsible Exec Producers (Teresa Watkins, James Rogan and Soleta Rogan) who were always on hand to offer support and guidance

Can you share what the creative process looked like from concept to final cut?

Rogan had been working for the BBC for a long while, but I joined in Sept 2024, and we developed the project for another 6 weeks. During that time, we had lots of conversations about tone, structure and style. I also started to have a lot of conversations with potential contributors. The more we spoke, the more I had an idea of what the film might be.

We started filming in November 2024 and hit the ground running. By this point, our brilliant Producer Satema Tarawally had joined, and she took a lot of responsibility for approaching interviewees and setting up shoots. At the same time, our archive producer, Al Hopkins, joined the team, and he dedicated months and months to finding and watching the best news and phone footage to help us paint a picture of that time
The film further evolved as we reached the edit, where we were joined by a trio of very talented editors - Gregg Morgan, Ali Baines and Brett Irwin and we grappled with how to tell this expansive story in the most empathetic but engaging manner.

What were some of the most rewarding moments during the making of this film?

I love the process of interviewing contributors; at its best, it's like the two of you are sitting in a bubble sharing intimate recollections. Hoping learning and laugh as you talk. I love walking away from an interview feeling like I really got to know someone or feeling like my mind has been expanded by the experience.

How do you choose the stories you tell—what elements are most important to you in a project?

I’m in love with the retrospective documentary filmmaking, so I'm always keen to work on something that has exciting footage that can take you inside a moment. But also want to shoot observational scenes within that allow you to juxtapose the past and present.

I also love melding genres – this is a film about a social issue that will hopefully make you feel, but has moments of comedy and music because our contributors found several different ways to express themselves. Lastly, it sounds obvious, but I look to work with talented people who care deeply about making films about the world around them.

Were there any unique challenges you faced on this film that differed from your previous projects?

There is a challenge is making a film that covers the last 5 years, not only has a lot happened in terms of race relations in the UK and the US but the story continued to be written to extent of changing the ending of the film. But that’s what makes film making such an exciting thing to be a part of.

What do you hope viewers take away from your storytelling approach in this film?

We wanted to create a film that was a street-level account of the events that stemmed from the murder of George Floyd, so I hope our viewers get a sense of what it was like to be inside those critical moments.

Looking ahead, are there any upcoming projects or themes you’re especially excited to explore next?

I was excited to work with musicians on this film. I would love to make a socially conscious music documentary.

Backlash is now in cinemas and BBC iPlayer.