After Eight: The Story of Satpal Ram + Murewa + Q+A Discussion

On Wednesday1 April 2026 Edinburgh Filmhouse are screening two award-winning short films After Eight: The Story of Satpal Ram and Murewa

Satpal Ram was 19 years old when he was attacked in a restaurant in Lozells, Birmingham in November 1986. He was eating a meal with two friends in a Bengali restaurant when a group directed racist abuse was directed at Satpal’s table and others in the restaurant. 

After having been badly stabbed twice, Satpal’s position is that he acted in self-defence in using a knife. Both men were wounded in this attack, and both men were taken to hospital. Satpal received treatment for his wounds. Clarke Pearce, having refused treatment, later died in hospital.

The independent witnesses were Bengali-speaking waiters, no interpretation was provided in court. West Midlands police wrote statements on behalf of the Bengali-speaking waiters which the waiters themselves later disowned. No interpreters were used to take these statements. The waiters were not given the opportunity to describe the violent attack upon Satpal and did not give any evidence. 

After a three-day trial, Satpal was ultimately convicted of murder, despite his firm position that he acted in self-defence.  Satpal was sentenced to life imprisonment and given a tariff (minimum punishment part) of 10 years. 

Satpal continues to maintain his innocence and has had many unsuccessful attempts at an appeal against conviction.  He was eventually released on parole after 13 years and six months, and was subsequently recalled to prison for 8 years. 

Set against the backdrop of a feverish political climate targeted at an individual group in our society, this important film explores themes of racial injustice and the difficulties our user-group face in achieving access to justice.

I am delighted to be in a position to contribute in my small way to the discussion following the screening.

More information about the event can be found HERE.

Overview

This screening will be followed by a discussion with After Eight co-director Mos Hannan and Scott Jenkins, CEO of Miscarriage of Justice Organisation, moderated by Balenji Mwiche. An exhibition of campaign materials will be available before and after the screening in Room 3.5 (near Screen 3).

We’re delighted to screen for the first time in Edinburgh two award-winning short films that explore stories of coming of age, friendship, community and the harsh realities of racism and incarceration, when a wrong turn can be life-changing.

A racist attack in an Indian restaurant in 1986 set 19-year-old Satpal Ram on a collision course with Britain’s justice system. His wrongful conviction sparked a global campaign that mobilised communities and artists across the world for his freedom. After Eight revisits this defining movement while exploring Satpal’s ongoing struggle to confront the trauma left behind. Combining archival footage with his first extensive testimony in decades, the film examines both the power of collective resistance and the personal cost of surviving state violence. It offers an intimate portrait of a man shaped by violence, resistance and survival — and of a movement that proved the enduring power of solidarity.

After Eight: The Story of Satpal Ram will be screened alongside the short film:

Murewa (dir. Ché Scott-Heron Newton, UK, 2025, 14 min, English)

In the quiet seaside town of Worthing, Marlon and Murry (Murewa) form a deep friendship, bonding over skateboarding, photography and the carefree adventures of youth. But as they grow older, their lives take different turns. Marlon leaves for university in London, while Murry, facing mounting pressure at home, makes choices that lead to prison. Through years of home video, Murewa reflects on the complexities of growing up, and how opportunity and circumstance shape the futures of young people in ways they don’t fully grasp at the time. Intimate and deeply personal, the film explores boyhood, belonging and the lingering question of what might have been.

This screening is part of Doc Screen, an initiative run by Scottish Documentary Institute (SDI) in partnership with Filmhouse.
Supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery.

Director

Usayd Younis, Mos Hannan

Producer

Usayd Younis