Thu 2 Oct 2014 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Auckland’s Academy Cinemas are launching a monthly lgbtq movie night, which will start with an advanced screening of buzz-generating flick Pride on 11 October. Pride is about UK gay activists who work to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984. Its heavyweight cast includes Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton. Buy tickets here Academy staff member Gorjan Markovski has had a sneak preview and says it’s a tale of disparate groups coming together for the greater good, and out of general human compassion for each other, which could not more timely or poignant. “But rather than a sobering social issue film on the unlikely teaming up of miners and LBGTQ activists, director Stephen Beresford has fashioned this true story into a big juicy slab of rousing, cheer-in-the-aisles entertainment,” he says. “You can't help but allow yourself to be picked up by the sheer energy of the narrative as it gusts through hilarious set-ups that range from quaint Welsh Town Hall to glitzy inner city gay bars, at all times accompanied by a sprawling, pleasingly mismatched ensemble that you grow to adore. “Its determination to make you tear up and cheer up may certainly whiff of cheese, but make no mistake it is of the high quality, lovingly made variety." The idea to run monthly queer film nights was sparked by conversations between gay and lesbian staff at Academy. The cinema already has a strong history of screening queer films, with 52 Tuesdays, The Dallas Buyers Club and Blue is the Warmest Colour among the recent examples. The nights will feature a range of new releases and favourite classics. Tickets to Pride on 11 October at 8.30PM are $18, which includes a pre-show cocktail. GayNZ.com will keep you up to date with information on the films to come in the Academy Cinemas’ LGBTQ Movie Night, which is also supported by LYC. You can enter the draw to win tickets to Pride with GayNZ.com here
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 2nd October 2014 - 1:18pm