The film highlights the similarity of the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community and working-class miners in Margaret Thatcher's Britain.
'Swansea Arena will host a special screening of the LGBTQ+ film Pride accompanied by a live orchestra, marking the 10th anniversary of the film’s release.
The event, titled Pride: Film with Live Orchestra – 10th Anniversary Special, will be held on 25 October and feature a live orchestral performance of the film’s soundtrack, with the backing of local choirs.
Pride, released in 2014, tells the true story of a group of lesbian and gay activists who supported striking miners in Wales during the 1984-85 miners’ strike. The film, directed by Matthew Warchus, received critical acclaim for its portrayal of this unlikely alliance.
The film is based on the real-life activities of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), a London-based activist group formed in 1984. LGSM raised funds to support the families of striking miners in Onllwyn, a small village in Wales. The group’s efforts not only provided financial aid but also challenged societal prejudices and fostered unexpected friendships between the two communities.
Exploring themes of solidarity, prejudice, and social change against the backdrop of Margaret Thatcher’s Britain, the film highlights the parallels between the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community and the working-class miners.
Starring Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Andrew Scott and Russell Tovey, the movie performed well at the box office and was nominated for a number of awards, including a Golden Globe and BAFTA. It also picked up Best Film at the 2014 Attitude Awards.
The performance will take place just 20 miles from Onllwyn, the village where much of the film’s action is set. Nathan Jones, conductor of The Alternative Orchestra, which will be performing the soundtrack, spoke about the upcoming spectacular.
“This performance gives audiences the opportunity to relive or experience for the first time this complex, challenging but joyous true story, set in a defining era for both the mining communities of Wales and the LGBT community across the UK,” he said in a statement.
The event will also serve as a fundraiser for the Terrence Higgins Trust, a charity working to end new cases of HIV in the UK by 2030. This partnership acknowledges the HIV epidemic that features in the lives of several characters in the film.
Tickets are available here.'
