Billy Elliot

Billy Elliot narrates a simple story: an 11 year old boy, born among a mining family in England, discovers, unexpectedly, his passion for ballet and decides, despite a hostile environment, that he wants to dance.

Billy's family has not only overcome a series of unfortunate events, like the death of the mother for example, but they do also face a long miners' strike: the one that took place in 1984.

Determined to fight for a better quality life, the father and Billy’s brother, support the strike and endure the unimaginable. Fighting gives them a reason to live, a sense of dignity. Through protests, marches and strength these men are willing to be heard.

Billy, apparently oblivious to this, faces his own battle and continues his dance classes in secret. These two fights have one thing in common: opposing a hostile environment, looking for ways to be heard and earning a place in society.

The beauty of the film is that it performs a simple tribute to the arts and their aesthetic manifestations as producers of communication and tools of sublimation. It is through dance that Billy will get to express himself effectively, be able to accept himself and accept others in their differences and become a depressed minority spokesman.

There is no Hollywood happy ending style but an internal search and affirmation that comes to a happy ending and illuminates the existence of a handful of men.

Director: Stephen Daldry

Writer: Lee Hall

Stars: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters and Jean Heywood