The fact that this documentary had won the Audience Award at this year’s Sheffield Doc/Fest was an instant giveaway of what to expect from this fantastic piece of cinema.
With half my family spread across South Yorkshire, it’s not surprising that strong opinions about Thatcher and the Miner’s Strike still linger on today.
Thirty years on from one of the most fraught events in our history, the film follows first-hand accounts of what it was really like to have been at the coalface of Britain’s longest strike. And that’s what really stood out after watching this exceptional film: the strength of solidarity; because it really was and still is ‘our’ fight.
As well as featuring interviews with passionate ex-miners from across the country, the film included thousands of frames worth of original footage and photographs. The extent to which this film was researched and assembled only emphasises the importance of discussing this subject today. How could a government do this to its own people?
Needless to say, the film was packed to the brims with a majority of those who clearly remembered where they were in 1984-1985. A Q&A with the director, producer and a contributor shortly took place once the documentary had finished.
Unsurprisingly, a rousing sense of empowerment and gratitude emanated from the audience despite the odd question regarding Kent miners and their omission.
A heartfelt and inspiring film which gripped you as tightly as if you were heading down a mine shaft, this documentary needs to be seen and its message of solidarity needs to be heard.
