“Pride" at Rozz-Tox -- June 10.
Wednesday, June 10, 8 p.m.
Rozz-Tox, 2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
With the 2014 dramatic comedy hailed by The Guardian as “impassioned and lovable,” the Iowa Industrial Workers of the World General Membershiip Branch hosts a special June 10 screening of Pride at Rock Island's Rozz-Tox on June 10, a celebration of Pride Month that demonstrates the crucial solidarity that continues to exist between the queer community and the working class.
As Pride opens, it's the summer of 1984, Margaret Thatcher is in power, and the National Union of Mineworkers 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. The activists, however, are not deterred. They consequently decide to ignore the Union and go directly to the miners themselves, and after identifying a mining village in deepest Wales, the group sets off in a mini-bus to make their donation in person. So begins the extraordinary story of two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.
Directed by Matthew Warchus and boasting a cast that includes Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Paddy Considine, and George MacKay, Pride premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation and won the Queer Palm award. It was also screened at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, with the Washington Post reporting that it was "hugely popular with preview and festival audiences." On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Pride holds a 92-percent "freshness" rating, the site's consensus reading: "Earnest without being didactic and uplifting without stooping to sentimentality, Pride is a joyous crowd-pleaser that genuinely works." Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent gave the film a five-star review and praised the screenplay for combining "broad comedy with subtle observation," noting that director Warchus "relishes visual contrasts and jarring juxtapositions" throughout the film. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore, meanwhile, gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
Pride will be screened in Rock Island on June 10, admission to the 8 p.m. all-ages event is free, and more information on the night is available by calling (309)200-0978 and visiting RozzTox.com.
