Miners’ Strike anniversary marked by film screening

Bolton Upon Dearne movie-makers Rebecca (25) and her father Dean Sills (55) have already seen the Amazon documentary DVD best-seller Regeneration play at two major Barnsley cinemas and it is now set to be shown at the Highgate Club in Barnsley Road.

The 28-minute movie, shot by Rebecca and narrated by Dean, has been described as “emotional and impressive” after its screenings at Cineworld and Parkway in Barnsley.

Regeneration, which will be at Highgate on Thursday April 25. tells the story of how the mining industry came to an end. It also discusses the miners' strike of 1984-1985 and includes interviews, archive footage and what life is like now in the Dearne Valley.

Entry to the event will be free and the concert doors will open at 6.30pm, with special guests Thurnscoe Harmonic Male Voice Choir performing at 7pm before the screening of Regeneration at 8.15pm. As an added boost, cinema-goers will be treated to one free pint, a free Elmhirst Pork pie, a selection of nibbles and a tea or coffee.

Rebecca said: “We would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Highgate Club for putting on this wonderful event. I loved making Regeneration with my dad but we never realised how big the film would become, from cinema screenings to a top ten selling documentary DVD on Amazon and now this. Thanks to everyone who worked on the film including John Greaves.”

Dean added: "This is one unmissable event, we are so grateful to everyone at Highgate Club. This one will be pretty special, it will mean so much to many people from our mining communities. We look forward to seeing many people there.”

The father and daughter team have already seen success at film festivals all over the world, picking up more than 100 prizes for their short nature movies, before producing the first ever western to be shot in the Dearne Valley, A Dollar To Die For, which also made the Amazon charts.