Iconic Miners' Strike film to be shown in Sunderland on 40th anniversary

A Sunderland venue will screen an iconic film to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1984 Miners’ Strike.

The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art will host Jeremy Deller: The Battle of Orgreave from June 18 to November 3.

Echo photographs form part of the anniversary

Alongside it will be an exhibition of Sunderland Echo archive photographs which show scenes from 1984 closer to home.

NGCA's Collection Space will be the place where the film will be shown.

The film looks at the confrontation between police and miners outside the coking plant at Orgreave in South Yorkshire.

Footage from 1984

Made 17 years later in the same village, ‘The Battle of Orgreave’ centres on a re-enactment of the confrontation made with the participation of many relatives of former miners as well as re-enactment specialists.

Mike Figgis' film combines footage of the day’s event with interviews with several key protagonists.

They include Mac McLoughlin, a former miner and serving policeman on the field in 1984, David Douglass (National Union of Mineworkers, Branch Secretary for Hatfield Main Colliery and Mining Historian); and Stephanie Gregory (Womens' Support Group and former chair-person of the Rotherham Miners Support Group) who reminisces about the effects on family life.

Memories of a historic era

Tony Benn, Benn (MP for Chesterfield between 1984-2001) talks about the media's role at the time.

On display alongside ‘The Battle of Orgreave’ is a selection of photographs taken during the 1984 North East miners’ strike.

The photos include Sunderland Echo photos of pickets at Monkwearmouth and Easington collieries.

It also includes marches and demonstrations in Sunderland and everyday family life.

Jon Weston, Curator of Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, said: "The film offers honest unfiltered oral accounts of the infamous battle alongside footage from Deller’s re- enactment.

"Opening on the same date as the original violent confrontation 40 years ago, industrial conflict has defined 2023 as living conditions continued to be squeezed for millions and concerns over pay and job security took centre stage again."

‘The Battle of Orgreave’ is part of The Artangel Collection which is an initiative to bring outstanding film and video works, commissioned and produced by Artangel, to galleries and museums across the UK.