Leigh Film Society to screen Ken Loach's Sorry We Missed You

An award-winning cinema group is bringing a hard-hitting film about life on zero-hours contracts to the big screen to help people relying on foodbanks.
By Andrew Nowell
Published 15th Nov 2019, 10:49 BST
A scene from the filmA scene from the film
A scene from the film

Leigh Film Society is putting on the showing of Ken Loach’s Sorry We Missed You at the town’s parish church on December 6.

The film follows an ordinary working-class family who are gradually worn down by demanding but poorly-paying jobs, with central character Ricky working as a self-employed van driver for a delivery firm and his wife Abby struggles as a carer trying to support elderly people in their own homes.

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It is the second time in the last few years that veteran director Loach has made a huge impact with a film about working-class life, with Sorry We Missed You following I, Daniel Blake which took apart the benefits system.

And like I, Daniel Blake, Leigh Film Society is bringing the movie to cinema fans in the borough to support those in hardship, with collections on the night for local foodbanks.

The group of volunteers moved fast to bring Sorry We Missed You to a local screen after the multiplexes in the borough decided not to show it.

In an extra coup for the society lead actor Kris Hitchen will make the short trip from Westhoughton to attend the screening and will do a Q&A with actor and film group patron Darren Jeffries.

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Leigh Film Society chair Paul Costello said: “Sorry We Missed You is an important film which carries a strong message about the struggle families face every day fighting against debt while working on azero-hours contract.

“Our film society’s ethos is that of helping others so, as we did for the screening of I, Daniel Blake in 2017, we will be fund-raising for families living in hardship and donating all the proceeds to Leigh’s main food bank.

“When it became apparent cinemas were not showing this thought-provoking film we felt we had no option but to screen it ourselves.”

The society was also responding to a wish from the director himself for independent groups of movie enthusiasts to ensure people get to see it.

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Leigh Film Society development director Elizabeth Costello said: “Ken Loach put out a call for community cinema groups to screen this film to get it out there. He threw down the challenge and we’ve accepted and said yes, we will do it.”

Entry is free but people are asked to make a donation on a pay-as-you-feel basis.

Collections will also be made on the night for Atherton and Leigh Foodbank, with generous givers asked to bring along tinned or other non-perishable foods to be made into emergency parcels for those on the breadline.

Leigh Film Society is screening Ken Loach’s Sorry We Missed You at Leigh Parish Church on Friday December 6, starting at 7.30pm.

Anyone wanting to go does need to reserve a place by getting a free ticket from www.leighfilmsociety.com