Tuesday 7 October 2014

Pride - A short review. *Spoiler Alert*





Written by 
Directed by 

Synopsis 
Its the summer of 1984 Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support. But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a mini bus to make their donation in person. And so begins the extraordinary story of two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.

I recently saw this film advertised in the Time Out London Magazine and I had a feeling that it would be a good film. Little did I know that it would be one of the best films I have ever seen. From start to end it had my attention - you know sometimes when you watch those films and your mind drifts off to what you're up to next week or that report that's due in on  Tuesday morning - I had nothing of the kind, I was hooked from the start.

The film starts showing a young gay couple in a flat and the TV is showing Margaret Thatcher on the television speaking out about the current mining strike. It is June 1984 and its the day of the Pride March in London.
You then meet Joe - a young boy on his 20th birthday with his parents opening presents in his home. He leaves the house and goes to see the Pride March - He ends up being pushed into the crowd and asked to hold a banner with Mike. Joe's parents don't know that he is gay and he tries to hide in the crowd to avoid being seen.
When a group of gay people get together to create a support group called Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) including Joe and Mike who have only just met, they are ignored and nobody wants support from them. Even miners that are in such need of financial support did not want any help from the group because of their sexuality.

The anger and disgrace I felt when watching the scene unfold is astounding. These people couldn't even accept help from people that were willing to go out of their way for them. The way in which the film portrays the hatred towards these people makes you feel as if you are there in the time and feeling it with them.

By the end of the film I was in tears, tears of sadness and tears of utter joy.

My tears of sadness came not only because it was based on a true story but because the main character in real life died a few years after the LGBT legal rights were changed by the Labour party of Aids.

But my tears of joy came due to the solidarity between the miners and the LGSM. It is so liberating to know that people can change their view, once their eyes are opened they can completely change the way they viewed a person.

It would be so perfect if we were not judged by our sexuality or the way in which we dress, if everybody realised that we are all the same just trying to live a happy life and leave a print on the world in one way or another, do you not agree?

My advice would be to watch Pride yourself and really feel it, let yourself go and feel empathy with these people.

Hats off to the actors and the creators of this film, it has a great message and educates us on the pure struggles some people have faced due to discrimination.





















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