Sky Documentaries set to explore the real-life stories featured in the film Pride, in brand-new feature film, Striking With Pride: United at the Coalface
Sky Documentaries has recently announced Striking With Pride: United at the Coalface, a brand-new Sky Original feature documentary, exploring the unlikely alliance forged between the gay men and lesbians of London, and the striking miners of South Wales, between the 1984 and 1985 London Prides.
Made famous by the 2014 BAFTA award-winning film Pride, this is one of the most unexpected and uplifting love stories ever, not between two people, but between two communities who – seemingly worlds apart – found common cause and compassion for each other in the face of immense challenges and changed the course of history for queer people in the UK.
Everyone loved the film, but the real story behind the script is much richer and more powerful than you could ever imagine, and the legacy of these events is still felt to this day, forty years on since the 1984/1985 Miners’ Strike.
The documentary features exclusive access to a range of key contributors, including former Labour MP Siân James (played by Jessica Gunning in Pride), LGSM co-founder Mike Jackson (played by Joe Gilgun in Pride) and Jonathan Blake (played by Dominic West in Pride). RuPaul’s Drag Race UK finalist, Tayce, dons her iconic Welsh dragon look to narrate the film, telling the powerful tale to a group of children in a playful and poignant story time session which highlights the lasting impact this story has had on communities 40 years later.
Poppy Dixon, Director of Documentaries & Factual, Sky, said: “It’s a privilege to have members of LGSM and the South Wales miners’ community share their personal stories for our customers during Pride month. We are thrilled to be working again with Story Films, and to have director Ashley Francis-Roy bring his unique creative vision to this inspiring and uplifting story for Sky Documentaries.
Ashley Francis-Roy, Director, said: “I’m so delighted to have the opportunity to tell this amazing story. It’s an epic tale of love and friendship that is still so powerful 40 years on, and that teaches us an urgent lesson that we all need to hear now more than ever - that we’re stronger together. I’m so excited to get to work with the amazing people at the heart of this story and help bring their story to life.”
Bruce Fletcher and Peter Beard, Executive Producers, Story Films, said: “Story Films is so excited to be bringing this inspiring story of solidarity between LGSM and the miners’ community in South Wales to the screen. We feel privileged to be filming with the real people who were involved, telling their story in a feature documentary for the first time. It’s a tale full of warmth, hope and drama with real resonance today.”
Striking With Pride: United at the Coalface was commissioned by Poppy Dixon, Director of Documentaries at Sky, on behalf of Zai Bennett, MD of Content for Sky UK and Ireland. The Commissioning Editor for Sky is Hayley Reynolds. The film is produced by Story Films and Ashley Francis-Roy Directs. The Executive Producers are Bruce Fletcher and Peter Beard, and the Producer is Sasha Kosminsky.
Striking With Pride: United at the Coalface is coming to Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW on 1st June.