It’s one of the best, too.

Regular readers will know that weve been banging the drum for the filmPridefor a little while now.

So why go that way?

I wouldnt have been able to write another version of the story.

But at the same time being full of subjects that are difficult or dark.

Ad content continues below

It strikes that the truth of every situation is its always funny.

It seems that its more truthful.

I find I believe it more if people are making jokes because thats how it works.

Even if the jokes are little, and even if the jokes are happening at very inappropriate moments.

People do always crack a joke, no matter what the situation.

In terms of whether it could have been a different film?

It could have been, but it wouldnt have been written by me.

And I dont think Matthew would have done it!

It wasnt a cynical exercise in any way as to how to bring a story to a wide audience.

Although somebody who could do that would be a smart person!

But I think we were aware.

And I sort of think about the film like that.

And, unlike in the film, its welcome there, and belongs there.

Thats all been done because of the comedy.

I agree with Stephen.

I think truth is funny plus other things, and I think that makes it more honest.

Sometimes, tortured stories actually feel quite contrived.

He let out an involuntary laugh when he read that, and that was his catalyst.

Because thats what comedy is.

Its the way in which human beings process things such as trauma.

People do tend to disbelieve true stories though.

And I wonder if you grounding the film this way was in part about making sure it felt believable?

SB:I quite like to subvert that.

When you see based on a true story, and itsNot Without My Daughter,with Sally Field…

The Alfred Molina one?

And you see the based on a true story and you go fucking hell.

MW:The other thing about humour is that humour is completed by an audience.

So there are lots of situations in the film where people are very in earnest.

But the tension gives rise to some laughter.

That its going to be a bit dry, a bit political, a bit agenda-ish.

And that predisposes you to a feeling of enjoyment and engagement.

Which feels like youve been watching comedy, but its not exactly that.

Its almost entirely without gags, and a lot of it is very gritty.

You have Menna Trussler who does one or two lines that bring the house down, for instance.

But she does very little to do a lot.

SB:I love that kind of comedy.

The kind of comedy I hate is characters who know theyre funny.

What I find funny is people who dont realise quite how funny they are.

In Noel Coward plays, there are lines that bring down the house for four minutes.

One of them is this haddock is disgusting.

I just like going bop with the ball and letting two other people pick it up.

I find that more satisfying to watch.

I may have remembered that wrongly, but I wonder how you two work together?

It seems far more cordial!

SB:Its very dark, very dark!

How has this one worked?

MW[Laughs]: Well, the script was the best script that Ive read in ages.

We did work together.

So there was a little bit of exploring that.

Really, we bonded together in pushing back against that.

But we are committed to telling this story about large groups of people.

We didnt want to distil it down to heroes.

So we just fundamentally agreed.

We changed little bits and pieces, and then in the editing, Stephen would come in a lot.

We had discussions like that.

And importantly, the thing about coming from theatre is that you trust your writer.

If you decide youre going to do the piece, youre doing it because you love the writing.

And so I wanted to get it right for Stephen.

I wanted to be the next person to get it right.

LGSM [Lesbians And Gays Support The Miners] did a great thing for a lot of people.

Stephen worked out a way to tell the story.

I wanted to be the person who then continued to get it right.

It was like having a co-director.

I think it may be a fairly unusual relationship though.

SB:But I do think its rooted in the fact that weve both had a background in theatre.

In film thats not the case, but in this film it was.

Thats thanks to Matthew: they would have eventually bundled me off the set.

But also, I think we just have the same taste.

At the bottom line.

I knew Matthews work, so I knew he had the right touch.

But we find the same things funny.

MW:The other thing is that Stephen was my access to all of the truth as well.

Hes the person who did all the research and spoke to people.

SB:The answer is always no, but it was interesting to ask the question!

Matthew, will it be 15 years until you make another film now?

MW:I think Im going to make a film ofMatildain about two or three years time.

I think Ill do another film then.

I still dont know why David Livingstone, the producer, sent me the script.

Im scared to ask.

Ive no idea whether I was first, fourth, firth…

SB:19th!

MW:But when it arrived, it was like a bullseye, and that just doesnt happen.

But Im in a privileged position, I dont just have to go and make another film.

Ive got another job, so I hope that I can hold out for the special ones!

And isMatildaa known about project now?

MW:Its not a secret.

But it cant be released before 2019.

Ive tried this before and it didnt work, though.

[Laughs]

MW:I didnt realise that was the deal!

Random work…

Ostrich, something like that.

Get that in, and Ill donate a pound to the charity of your choice.

MW:How about union?

[laughs]

Stephen and Matthew, thank you for your time.

Prideis released in cinemas on September 12th.Our review is here.