For the 60th anniversary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Museums Sheffield is hosting a special screening of Threads, the iconic nuclear disaster drama set in Sheffield. Originally screened on the BBC in 1984, Threads is a docudrama detailing the horror of a nuclear attack in South Yorkshire. Written by Barry Hines, the film focuses on the lives of two ordinary Sheffielders, Ruth Beckett and Jimmy Kemp, who are planning on getting married after an unplanned pregnancy. This plan is somewhat uprooted when nuclear conflict erupts between the United States and the Soviet Union. Needless to say, the film is a harrowing reminder of the destructive power of nuclear weapons, tracing the medical, economic, social and environmental consequences of nuclear war. It is all the more unnerving for Sheffield residents who will recognise much of the exploded landmarks.
The film is part of the programme of events surrounding the gallery's exhibition of work by political artist Peter Kennard.
Film locations from Threads feature in our Sheffield on Film guide – on sale in our online shop.
- Words by
- Hannah Clugston
- Featured in
- Film picks