Yahya Abdul-Mateen II On Playing Bobby Seale in 'The Trial of the Chicago 7'

The new film The Trial of the Chicago 7 may be focused on the antiwar protests of the 1960s, but it draws distinct parallels to the protests in the streets, complaints about police violence and divisive politics that the U.S. faces today.

The film — which was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and is out now on Netflix — follows eight different men who protested the Vietnam War at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Police cracked down on the protests, leaving hundreds injured and arrested. Months after the convention, a new administration led by President Richard Nixon charged the eight men with crossing state lines with the intent to start a riot. Several of the defendants did not know each other.