Of all of the BBC Films projects that we have been celebrating this week, Pride is the most recent. Pride hit the big screen in September 2014, and it really was one of the best films of last year.
Pride
Pride marked the return of Matthew Warchus to the director's chair in what his first film since he made his directorial debut with Simpatico back in 1999.
Pride is set in 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.
For me, not only was Pride one of the Best British movies to grace cinema screens last year, but it was one of the best film full stop. Not only is a heartwarming tale about two different sets of people coming together and packed with great characters, it shines a light on an aspect of recent British history that many people know very little about.
While I was familiar with the miners' strike, I was not aware that the lesbian and gay activists were such strong supporters of their cause and they came to fight against the oppression that they felt. Pride really is a powerful and heart-warming story about the importance of solidarity, friendship, and courage and how all of those things really can help bring about change.
Pride is a movie about acceptance, tolerance, friendship, and hope and it is a movie that really will warm your heart, leave you with a smile on your face, and possibly a lump in your throat.
Warchus has brought together a stunning cast, as Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine, Andrew Scott, George MacKay, and Ben Schnetzer are just some of the wonderful names on board.
Pride is a movie that does shine some light on recent British history and has a strong message of tolerance, but that doesn't stop it from being a laugh out loud movie. The differences between the two communities are what gives the film its humour. As the two sides get to know one another, they find that their struggles are the same and they are both fighting against oppression.
Yes, this was a bleak time in British history as the mines and the mineworkers were crushed by Margaret Thatcher and her government, but that doesn't stop Pride from being a funny, uplifting, inspiring, and empowering movie.
The events of Pride may have taken place thirty years ago, but the message of standing together in difficult time is as powerful today as it was back then.
Pride was met with critical acclaim upon release and is a movie that truly resonated with audience on the festival circuit and when it finally got its release.
It went on to pick up nominations at the Golden Globes, Baftas - where it won Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer - and British Independent Film Awards - where it scooped Best Independent Film, Best Supporting Actress for Staunton and Best Supporting Actor for Scott.
Tagged in BBC