Harvey Gets His Day!

Arnold was up late into the evening signing many of the bills he had threatened to veto. Thankfully Senator Mark Leno's Harvey Milk Day was in the Yes pile!

The new law designates May 22nd (Harvey's birthday) as Harvey Milk Day in the State of California.

Read more details HERE.

And we couldn't resist posting Oscar-winning MILK screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's moving testimony before the California Senate Education Committee on behalf of the bill. Click to watch it above.

Rink & Harvey Photo Show in NYC

SAN FRANCISCO: THE MAKING OF A QUEER MECCA
Early Photos by Rink Foto
(with photos by Harvey Milk)

Curated by Julia Haas
and assisted by Jonathan D. Katz

Sept. 15–Oct. 24, 2009

Check it out HERE!

The above photo is by RINK FOTO.

575 Castro St. Onstage Q&A at SF Jewish Film Fest

Courtesy of Michael Guillen — enjoy this very informative post-screening filmmaker Q&A for 575 Castro St. at the Jewish Film Festival.

Including a great pitch for everyone to get out and support Mark Leno's Harvey Milk Day bill! For more info go to EQCA.org right now.

And if you have not watched 575 Castro St. yet (shot on the empty Castro Camera Store set of Gus Van Sant's MILK) you can always go over to the Film In Focus website for your personal desktop premiere!

Harvey Milk Postage Stamp?

"An online effort is under way to honor slain LGBT rights hero Harvey Milk with a U.S. postage stamp in time with what would have been his 80th birthday on May 22, 2010."

Read more at the Bay Area Reporter website.

Harvey Milk Day Bill Redux

California State Senator Mark Leno announced today the re-introduction of his bill to proclaim May 22nd (Harvey Milk's Birthday) a day of recognition for the slain gay rights leader's contributions to the State of California. Senate Bill 572 would specifically encourage public schools across the State to: "conduct suitable commemorative exercises on Harvey Milk's life and his contributions to the state." The special day would not be a paid holiday and would have no fiscal impact on the California State budget. A similar bill was vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last year, with the Governor's main argument against the holiday being that Milk was only a local San Francisco hero, not a statewide hero.

Actor Sean Penn was on hand for today's press conference announcing the Bill and calling attention to the fact that Harvey Milk was not only a San Francisco hero, not only a California hero but also an American hero — deserving of this recognition at last.

Get MILK on DVD!

Director Gus Van Sant's riveting biopic about slain gay rights activist and San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk comes to DVD at last in this handsome must-own edition that’s packed with extras.

Based on the politically resonant and thoroughly timely screenplay of Dustin Lance Black, Van Sant follows the arc of Milk's political awakening, from closeted Brooklyn insurance executive to doyen of San Francisco's Castro district's burgeoning gay mecca in the 1970s. Sean Penn portrays the film's hero, melting into the role with an affable flamboyance that is both spirited and eminently engaging. James Franco plays opposite Penn as Milk's supportive and easygoing boyfriend, Scott Smith. The couple's cheerful and loving rapport lends buoyancy to the film's overall message of hope as Milk ascends from grassroots community organizer to a galvanizing figurehead in the push for gay civil liberties.

CLICK TO ORDER NOW from WolfeVideo.com: Your queer-owned community source for LGBT DVDs since 1985!

Keeping Up with MILK News?

Yikes! I have been completely remiss in my duties as purveyor of Harvey Milk Movie News. And I hereby confess that I can't possibly live up to the claim of my masthead: "YOUR SOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST ON ALL THE HARVEY MILK MOVIES ALL THE TIME!" So, I hereby direct you to the FilmInFocus.com website which will report every little squeak of news you could possibly need to know about Milk. Also, I am guest blogging there so please come read what I have to say when you have a moment.