Matthew Warchus’s 2014 film Pride is one of the best all round LGBTQ+ movies I’ve ever seen. The film centres around the true story of a group of young lesbian and gay activists who raise money for Welsh miners during the miners strikes in 1984-85. It’s heartwarming and uplifting and extremely well acted to round it into a triple threat.
The movie, set in Britain’s 80’s world of Thatcher, touches on so many issues of the time. Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer) is a young gay man unapologetically living his life when he realises that the cops are bothering the gays less and the miners more. In response, he sets up the LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners) and begins work recruiting fellow gays to help his cause.
This movie made me cry and laugh probably more than any movie I’d seen in a while. The reluctant acceptance of support from a bunch of London gays from the Welsh miners is portrayed so beautifully, being shown perfectly when Jonathan (Dominic West) shows the Welsh lads how to dance.
The film also touches on the issues surrounding the AIDS crisis, police brutality and the conservative government in the 80s whilst still managing to stay magically funny and wholesome.
All round, Pride is an amazing film that never fails to make my day better whenever I decide to re-watch it for the 70th time, the characters are as true to the real story as I’ve seen in any good ‘based on a true story’ movie and there’s even a heartwarming end screen showing what they’re all up to now.
Please go check it out if you’re in the mood to swoon over Andrew Scott’s smile or learn a little more about how the LGBT and mining communities faced and continue to face austerity.
Queer as Film 