Review of 'Grenfell Uncovered'

This documentary explores the disastrous 2017 fire in Grenfell Tower in North Kensington, London where 72 people lost their lives. The tragedy itself is covered in vivid details with first-hand accounts from the survivors and the fireman that risked their lives to save the residents. There is a huge amount of criticism regarding a number of failings including initial (and long standing) advice to those in the tower to stay put and wait for rescue, advice that no doubt cost many their lives, as well as the infamous cladding added by the council to the outside of the building to make it look nicer - Cladding that was not suitable for the building and was the primary cause of the massive fire that ensued. What is also clear is the lack of anyone taking responsibility for these failures as the buck is passed from individual to individual from company to company with no one, it seems, held ultimately to account. For the survivors, and those effected, the struggle for answers still continues. Despite the government promising to remove the fatal cladding from all UK buildings, there are still many that still have it.

I lived in the west side of London in Chiswick and remember the day after the Grenfell Tower fire when there was a smoke hanging in the air throughout the area. On the bus on the way into the city for work I remember seeing the smouldering tower block off to our left. In the days, weeks, months and years that followed we were haunted by the skeletal, blackened frame of the tower - A reminder of the tragedy that occurred here. It was only after a time that the building was enshroud in a white fabric with a giant sign at the top - A green heart and the words “Grenfell - Forever in our hearts”. It is only in the past year that they have started to dismantle the building, now deemed to be unsafe. Removing the building, hopefully, does not allow us to forget what happened here.

This is a powerful, moving, documentary that shines a light on the series of unfortunate circumstances that led to so many deaths and, unfortunately, how little seems to have been learned. Hearing from those that were actually there was particularly harrowing as they told exactly how events unfolded and how many ended up dying. The story is told with a huge amount of compassion and understanding but also with an attempt to give a balanced and informed view of what actually happened on the day and in the years that followed. The filmmakers certainly did their homework with, it seems, no stone left unturned with a great amount of detail but not so much that the focus never shifts to far from the loss of life.

No, not light watching but compelling and deeply touching.

Rating: “I have absolutely no complaints”

Review Date: 2025-11-08

Directed by: Olaide Sadiq

Studio: Rogan Productions

Year: 2025

Length: 100 minutes

Genre: Documentary

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37024060/