A few days ago we posted the first clip from the gay-themed Brit flick Pride, ahead of its May 23rd premiere as closing film of the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2014 International Cannes Film Festival.
If that weren’t honour enough, it’s now picked up the Queer Palm, handed out each year to the best LGBT themed movie showing at the festival. Previous winners include the excellent Stranger By The Lake, Laurence Anyways, Beauty and Gregg Araki’s Kaboom!.
Based on a true story, Pride is set during the summer of 1984, with Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) 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. This brings together two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.
The likes of Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott and Paddy Considine star, with Tony Award-winning theatre director Matthew Warchus making his feature helming debut with the movie.
Pride was one of 13 movies up for the Queer Palm, including previous winner Xavier Dolan’s Mommy, Bertrand Bonello’s Saint Laurent, Melanie Laurent’s Respire, and Thomas Cailley’s Love At First Sight. It’s the first time a British movie has picked up the award.
Organiser Franck Finance-Madur tolc AFP, “It’s important here in Cannes to think together about problems inherent to the production of queer films that promote sexual diversity.”
Pride is due out in the US in September.
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