'Milk' world premiere benefit at Castro Theatre (Tuesday, October 28, 2008)

[Duncan Grant]

<snip>

History came back home to where it started three decades ago. The Castro Theatre vibrated with gay rights past and present. As the creators and stars of the film and local politicians ran the red-carpet press gantlet, a throng of people across the street waved "Vote No on Prop. 8" signs and shouted at every passing car that honked. The measure will eliminate the right to same-sex marriage in California if it passes next week.

"Harvey Milk gave his life for the struggle for human rights," said San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris. "It's a continuing battle that's not over."

State Assemblyman Mark Leno, sporting a "Harvey Milk for Assembly" button on his lapel, connected "the exciting and tumultuous time" of Milk's gay rights activism to the "ill-conceived measure facing voters on the ballot next week."

Mayor Gavin Newsom said he felt "a tremendous amount of pride" to be attending the movie's premiere in San Francisco. Citing the changes seen from the "anti-sodomy laws that were still on the books" in the 1970s to San Francisco today, he said, "This story couldn't have happened anywhere else."

<snip>

SFGate link to story...




More images...

edit: link

[EFerrari]

1. I can't even see this title without tearing up.

Someone please post if you go to the opening.

:hug:

[terrya]

2. I was really surprised at Sean Penn cast as Milk.

Penn has always struck me as...how should I put it...less than interested in the gay community and its history.

I do want to see it, though.

[Luminous Animal]

7. I was hoping Hank Azaria would be cast...

but I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. It was a beautiful book. I hope the movie does both the book and the man justice.

[maxjue]

3. Animated Harvey Milk Piece

Causecast just did a pretty awesome animated version of a famous Milk speech in support of No on Prop 8.
http://www.causecast.org/video_queues/82/videos/2980-got-hope-harvey-milk">Got Hope? Harvey Milk.

[xchrom]

4. recommend

[Moloch]

5. Is this the same film version of "The Mayor of Castro Street"

thats been in production for some time? I'm thrilled that its already out.. I wonder how they're going to roll it out. Probably only in SF, NY and LA for a month and then Chicago and Toronto and maybe the rest of us will get to see it in 2009. Hopefully not because I'm shivering with anticipation to see this as I hold Harvey Milk up to such esteem that I think of him as the gay Martin Luther King Jr!

[ronnykmarshall]

6. I can't wait to see this movie.

I was just a young little twerp when Harvey was killed. But I'll never forget turning on the TV and watching KNBC and seeing Dianne telling the press that Harvey and George were killed.

My friend Gabe was working at a deli in SF when the report came out. There were several cops in the deli and they just ran out of the place and took off to City Hall.

I did jury duty one time at City Hall and one of the ladies on the jury told me a story about that day. She and her friend cut school and were in GGate park. These cops saw them and told "You need to go home. Someone killed the mayor and Harvey Milk we don't know who it is."

[swimmernsecretsea]

8. I didn't go near the theater because I knew it'd be a huge crowd

It's going to be so exciting! I think I'll go with the SF MovieBears.