Harvey Milk ’s Story ‘More Relevant Than Ever’

Stuart believes the film and Harvey Milks story is just as important now as it once was. “There’s tremendous ongoing relevance for Uncle Harvey’s story, message and his ultimate sacrifice. There is misconception today that we when a nation has achieved marriage equality we have accomplished the mission of LGBT rights. We still don’t have societal equality, anywhere. We at Student Pride believe this is particularly true when you look at Mental Health statistics and how LGBT people are disproportionately affected by them.

‘Milk’ is the ground-breaking biographical film that portrays the career of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was one of the first openly gay politicians in the world. Attendees will then also be invited to stay for a Q&A with Harvey Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk (picture), which will follow the screening of the film.

National Student Pride are screening Milk on Sunday the 7th of February, and tickets are only £3.50 and are available here www.studentpride.co.uk/tickets.

Not only is ‘Milk’ a critically acclaimed film, winning two Oscars for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay, but the film also holds significant importance within the LGBTI community. The film not only showcases one of our community’s greatest heroes, whose courage and bravery has inspired so many, but also highlights our community’s history, and the struggles LGBT people still face to this day.

Last year Dustin Lance Black, who won an Oscar for writing the screen-play for the movie spoke on the Student Pride media representation panel, slamming Hollywood agents who make their actors hide their sexuality.

It is a great privilege to be having Harvey Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, in attendance at National Student Pride this year. He has done a great deal of amazing work as a global LGBT rights activist and political speaker, and he is also the co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, which looks to empower organisations around the world fighting for LGBT equality.

Hatti Smart, Student Pride’s co-chair who’ll be hosting the Q&A after the film said “I’m so excited to meet such an important global activist. I’m not ashamed to say I cried a lot at Harvey Milk’s powerful story in the film Milk. I can’t wait to open the floor to questions from Harvey’s nephew Stuart Milk.”

We are also incredibly excited to be holding our film screening at The University of Westminster’s Regent Street Cinema. The Regent Street Cinema holds a great deal of importance, as it was the first place in Britain to show film, and is often seen as the birthplace of British cinema.

Closed as a cinema since 1980, The University Of Westminster recently mounted a successful fundraising campaign to restore and reopen the cinema at their Regent Street headquarters. The cinema now holds a new state-of-the-art auditorium, and has once again become a landmark for film in the heart of London.