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Stepping out of the sixties and in the wake of the Stonewall Riots (considered the birth of the modern LGBTQIA+ liberation movement), the 1970s would prove to be a decade energized by queer activism, political and social change, and pride. Celebrating such a vitally important legacy, this collection of gay protest and parade films is an essential multifaceted document of a period of revolution and jubilation.
Heading this essential set is the incredibly poignant and mesmerizing feature documentary GAY USA (1977) from pioneering gay filmmaker Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. (Forbidden Letters (1979), Buddies (1985)). Bressan, Jr. documents aspects of the gay rights movement during 1977, capturing the intersections of diversity in queer life; from vox pop style interviews with lesbian feminists, street drag queens, and straight allies to taking a look at the fight against notorious homophobe Anita Bryant and her "Save Our Children" campaign. Conversations with dedicated gay activists and individuals who have recently come out are masterfully intercut with images of the vast spectrum of LGBT individuals and their supporters proudly marching through sun-kissed streets. As well as being politically and socially important and a perfect snapshot of a period in time of gay solidarity and resistance, it is also a picturesque, sparkling film with inspired visuals from Bressan, Jr. and his team of camera operators.
Along with this magnetic feature length film comes four shorts capturing queer liberation and protest: Lesbian activist Lilli Vincenz's GAY AND PROUD (1970), which documents the first Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade, held in New York City on June 28, 1970, to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the lesbian-centric GAY POWER (1971) from legendary artists/activists Sharon Hayes and Kate Millett and the Women's Liberation Cinema, and two San Francisco focused films: PARADE (1972) from artistic all-rounder Ronald Chase, which gives us an insight into the city's first official gay pride parade post-Stonewall, and FREEDOM DAY PARADE (1974) by iconic filmmaker and choreographer Wakefield Poole (Boys in the Sand (1971)), which was shot at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day.
Arthur J. Bressan Jr.