In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first
openly gay man to be voted into public office in America .
His victory was not just a victory for gay rights; he forged
coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior
citizens to union workers, Harvey Milk changed the very
nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights and
became, before his untimely death in 1978, a hero for all
Americans. Sean Penn stars as Harvey Milk under the
direction of Gus Van Sant in Milk, filmed on location in San
Francisco from an original screenplay by Dustin Lance Black,
and produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen.
Milk charts the last eight years of Harvey Milk’s life.
While living in New York City , he turns 40. Looking for
more purpose, Milk and his lover Scott Smith (James Franco)
relocate to San Francisco , where they found a small
business, Castro Camera, in the heart of a working-class
neighborhood. With his beloved Castro neighborhood and
beautiful city empowering him, Milk surprises Scott and
himself by becoming an outspoken agent for change.
With vitalizing support from Scott and from new friends like
young activist Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), Milk plunges
headfirst into the choppy waters of politics. Bolstering his
public profile with humor, Milk’s actions speak even louder
than his gift-of-gab words.
When Milk is elected supervisor for the newly zoned District
5, he tries to coordinate his efforts with those of another
newly elected supervisor, Dan White (Josh Brolin). But as
White and Milk’s political agendas increasingly diverge,
their personal destinies tragically converge.
Milk’s platform was and is one of hope – a hero’s legacy
that resonates in the here and now.
© Focus Features. All
rights reserved
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