Brassed Off director says 1996 film’s political message still resonates today
Mark Herman says Brassed Off has endured because its comedy and political message reach beyond its story of a Yorkshire brass band, while reflecting the lasting effects of industrial decline. As the 1996 film marks its 30th anniversary, the director says it remains relevant to younger viewers and that films of its kind would be difficult to finance today.
Set in fictional Grimley, the film follows the colliery band as its members await a decision on whether their pit will close; it stars Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald and Ewan McGregor. The real Grimethorpe Colliery Band will perform at the Royal Albert Hall alongside a special screening, and the film was ranked 85th in the BFI’s Top 100 British Films. Herman says studios now favour blockbusters or micro-budget projects, leaving little room for mid-budget British films.
- Brassed Off marks 30 years with a Royal Albert Hall screening and live music.
- Mark Herman says the film’s themes still resonate with young audiences.
- He believes studios leave little room for similar mid-budget British films.
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Brassed Off is a 1996 film directed by Mark Herman about a brass band in a fictional Yorkshire mining community called Grimley. The story follows the band's members as they await the outcome of a decision that could see their local colliery close permanently.
Made during a period when pit closures were transforming Britain's industrial regions, the film blended comedy with a serious political message about the impact of economic change on working communities. It became regarded as an important work of British cinema that captured both the human cost of industrial decline and the resilience of those affected.
Three decades on, Brassed Off remains celebrated as a significant work of British cinema and continues to be discussed by audiences and critics alike. The film's enduring reputation is why reflections on its place in contemporary cinema command attention.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘I thought Brassed Off might be popular within a 10 mile radius of Barnsley’: the director of Andy Burnham’s favourite film on its 30 year anniversary”.