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Synopsis:
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.
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