If you’re looking for something that’ll make you cry while restoring your faith in humanity at the same time, Pride is the movie for you. It tells the true story of Lesbians and Gays Support The Miners (LGSM), an activist alliance created during the 1984 British miners’ strike to raise money that helped the affected miners’ families, and their partnership with the Welsh village of Onllwyn, the only community willing to accept help from queer people. Though some members of the Onllwyn community do see LGSM as a threat, the Womens’ Support Group welcomes them with open arms, and in turn, are welcomed with open arms when they travel to LGSM’s base of operations in London. Real-life figures Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer), Jonathan Blake (Dominic West), Hefina Headon (Imelda Staunton), and Siân James (Jessica Gunning) are all portrayed alongside characters created for the movie, like Joe (George MacKay), a closeted 20-year-old whose involvement with LGSM helps him find a community. As devastating as some moments in the film are, it’s largely wholesome and heartwarming. Pride tells a beautiful story of solidarity in unlikely places, endurance, and found family.
Photo: BBC Films
