Matt Lambert directs a short documentary film for Jimmy Somerville's groundbreaking 80s band Bronski Beat. 

The 40th anniversary short is a reimagining of enduring LGBTQ+ anthem Why, originally released in 1984. Using personal and archival footage, Lambert crafts a powerful story of resilience, community, and solidarity to pay tribute to those who speak up and put themselves on the line for the sake of love - those on the frontlines often being the most at risk.

Using vibrant titles to guide and inform the viewer, the contrast of vintage and contemporary footage reflects the considerable timeline between the original release and today, cementing both the progress and difficulties that are still present. 

Using textural overlays and graphical elements to transition from vignette to vignette, it's a singular - and important - piece of work, and is absolutely absorbing.

“Jimmy wanted to commission me to make a project that spoke to the climate of LGBTQ+ rights today,” explains Lambert. “I ended up exploring archives from past and present, material from my phone and friends — self-shot material from the community — which became a documentary short film. We had access to Bronski Beat's original stems to sculpt the timeless and still timely score to this film.

“It was such a dream to look into the past and future with Jimmy,” says Lambert. “This project was born out of an ongoing dialogue about the past and our ongoing responsibilities to protect what we’ve fought so hard for.

"We are grateful to have the support of Stonewall UK in a final call to action at the end of the film, so viewers have a resource to go to for help, guidance, and more information on LGBTQ+ rights."