LGBTHM23

This month, we asked our team to embrace this year's LGBT+ History Month theme, and celebrate their favourite queer creatives' contributions to cinema and film from 'Behind the Lens'. Here are their picks so far...

"I would vote for the writer and actor Stephen Beresford, specifically for writing the script of the 2014 film Pride. I had heard rumours about a solidarity movement in the 1980s between LGBT people and striking miners, but it sounded like a myth. Then the film came out and I learned about a huge piece of social and political UK history which had never been given its proper status before. I've since met some members of LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners), seen them marching in Pride in London, and I have a deeper respect for Gays The Word bookshop, where LGSM met. The film Pride resonates with me on multiple levels, and gives me hope in the present day.

"I studied creative writing at university and so I focus on the writing quite a lot when watching films. I find bad scripts almost unforgiveable - they're crucial to the end result, and the cheapest part of the process - there's no reason to put something into production with a bad script. The screenplay for Pride is an absolute banger from beginning to end. There are no dull moments in this film, and loads of it is Withnail and I levels of quotable. It's really funny, incredibly heartfelt, and has a lot of depth and nuance. This has become easily one of my top ten films, and I love watching it with people who haven't seen it before." 

Hannah Eiseman, Communications Manager.

“I would vote for American dramatist and screenwriter Martin Sherman, specifically for the impactful 1979 play Bent. The piece revolves around the persecution of gay people in Nazi Germany, and takes place during and after the Night of the Long Knives.” 

Andrew Evans, CEO 

“It feels almost impossible to choose a favourite queer contributor to creative media from Behind the Lens, because there are just so many! Instead, my vote will be a personal thank you to any and all up-and-coming, grass-roots artists within our unstoppable community for continuing to push boundaries, highlight minority communities and identities, and celebrating intersectionality and diversity of all its beautiful forms. Thank you for being fearless, and for sharing your creativity, stories and passion with the world, both on and off camera.”  

Adam Tipping, Digital Communications Officer, Lead LGBTQ+ Youth Worker Bromley.

"I would like to nominate Rose Troche as director of Go Fish and co-writer with Guinevere Turner of this low budget, feel good, sexy film about young lesbians in Chicago that spoke to me during my 20s in London. It felt so fresh, funny and hopeful about lesbian identities (and stereotypes!). Looking back at the film’s trailer now I am noticing fluidity in terms of representations of gender and sexuality that I was possibly less aware of back in the 1990s."

Emma Jones, Head of Insight.   

Looking for something to do this LGBT+ History Month? Then check out our LGBT+ History Month Schedule, which includes some fantastic screening opportunities!