Andrew and Jeremy Get Married

Andrew and Jeremy Get Married is a 2004 British documentary film written and directed by Don Boyd for the BBC. It tells the story of two Englishmen, Andrew Thomas and Jeremy Trafford, as they plan for their commitment ceremony. Originally commissioned for the BBC Storyville series, the film premiered at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival.[1][2]

Andrew and Jeremy Get Married
DVD cover
Directed byDon Boyd
Written byDon Boyd
Produced byFirstSight Films
Clare Boyd
Don Boyd
CinematographyDon Boyd
Kate Boyd
Edited byKate Spankie
Distributed byTartan Films (UK)
Gavin Films (Worldwide)
Release dates
  • 9 September 2004 (2004-09-09) (Canada)
  • 6 May 2005 (2005-05-06) (UK)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Synopsis

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The film follows the story of one of the first same-sex couples to take advantage of Mayor of London Ken Livingstone's civil register, prior to the advent of civil partnerships and gay marriage, which legalised same-sex unions. When the film was made, neither ceremony was available to gay couples.

Jeremy (69) is a Cambridge-educated English professor who was raised in India, while Andrew (or Andy) (49) is a retired bus driver and ex-junkie from a Croydon council estate. They met each other at Bromptons Club, a legendary gay bar in Earl's Court, London. The film has scenes of their relationship in the months leading up to their big day.

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Reception

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DC reviewing of Time Out said it "is illuminating and touching, if rather light. It probably belongs on TV".[3]

Nick Dawson of Empire gave the film 3 stars out of 5, and stated it was an "intimate study of a gay couple" and "the commitment ceremony sadly feels a lot more hollow than it should".[4]

In 2004, Don Boyd was nominated for the Joris Ivens Award for best documentary at the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival. In 2005 the film was nominated for the British Independent Film Award for best British documentary.[5]

Aftermath

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Three years after the film, Andrew Thomas died of lung cancer at age 51. In spring 2020, Jeremy Trafford died at age 85 after contracting COVID-19.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (6 May 2005), "Andrew and Jeremy Get Married", The Guardian, retrieved 13 June 2009
  2. ^ Boyd, Don (5 September 2004), "When a man loves a man...", The Observer, retrieved 13 June 2009
  3. ^ "Andrew and Jeremy Get Married (2005), directed by Don Boyd, Film review". Time Out London. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  4. ^ Dawson, Nick (1 January 2000). "Andrew And Jeremy Get Married". Empire. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  5. ^ BIFA (11 October 2005). "Andrew and Jeremy Get Married - BIFA - The British Independent Film Awards". bifa.film. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  6. ^ Perry, Maria (5 May 2020). "Jeremy Trafford obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
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