Stonewall Uprising
Encyclopedia
Stonewall Uprising is a 2010 American documentary film
examining the events surrounding the Stonewall riots
that began during the early hours of June 28, 1969. Stonewall Uprising made its theatrical debut on June 16, 2010 at the Film Forum
in New York City
. The movie features interviews with eyewitnesses to the incident, including NYPD deputy inspector Seymour Pine
.
The film was produced and directed by documentarians Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, and is based on the book by historian David Carter, Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution. The title theme is by Gary Lionelli.
, Yvonne Ritter, Fred Sargeant, Martha Shelley
, Howard Smith
, Lucian Truscott, and Doric Wilson
, with archival footage from locally produced television programs, public service films warning of the "dangers" of homosexuality and "CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
", the film presents both a national perspective and a personal one. The film also touches on pre-Stonewall activism, including the Annual Reminder
pickets held in Philadelphia.
The film then shifts to the days immediately preceding the riot and the specific conditions in New York City, including a raid on the Stonewall Inn
that had happened days before the raid that triggered the riot, to explain why conditions were ripe for some action to happen. Archive film from the riots, dramatic re-enactments and eyewitness testimony are presented, along with animation of the streets surrounding the Stonewall Inn showing how rioters were able to evade and outflank responding police.
Stonewall Uprising concludes with an examination of the aftermath of the rioting, including the energizing of the gay community as a political force and the establishment of Christopher Street Liberation Day, the genesis of gay pride parade
s in the United States.
on April 25, 2011, as an episode of the series American Experience
.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
examining the events surrounding the Stonewall riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
that began during the early hours of June 28, 1969. Stonewall Uprising made its theatrical debut on June 16, 2010 at the Film Forum
Film Forum
Film Forum is a nonprofit movie theater located at 209 West Houston Street in New York City. It began in 1970 as an alternative screening space for independent films, with 50 folding chairs, one projector and a US$19,000 annual budget. Karen Cooper became director in 1972 and under her leadership,...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The movie features interviews with eyewitnesses to the incident, including NYPD deputy inspector Seymour Pine
Seymour Pine
Seymour Pine was an American deputy police inspector with the New York City Police Department who served on the force from 1941 to 1976. As deputy inspector, he led the police raid on the Stonewall Inn, which took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969...
.
The film was produced and directed by documentarians Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, and is based on the book by historian David Carter, Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution. The title theme is by Gary Lionelli.
Overview
About the first third of Stonewall Uprising explores a general overview of societal attitudes toward homosexuality in 1960s America. Combining interviews with Virginia Apuzzo, Martin Boyce, Raymond Castro, Danny Garvin, Jerry Hoose, Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt, Dick Leitsch, John O'Brien, Seymour PineSeymour Pine
Seymour Pine was an American deputy police inspector with the New York City Police Department who served on the force from 1941 to 1976. As deputy inspector, he led the police raid on the Stonewall Inn, which took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969...
, Yvonne Ritter, Fred Sargeant, Martha Shelley
Martha Shelley
-Life and early work:Martha Altman, later Martha Shelley, was born on December 27, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, to parents of Russian-Polish Jewish descent. Samuel R. Delany was a Bronx High School of Science friend. She was involved in a group based on the work of Harry Stack Sullivan which led to...
, Howard Smith
Howard Smith
Howard Smith may refer to:*Howard Smith , U.S. film director, journalist, broadcaster; Academy Award winner for feature-length documentary, 1972*Howard Smith , British ambassador and Director General of MI5, 1979–1981...
, Lucian Truscott, and Doric Wilson
Doric Wilson
Doric Wilson was an American playwright, director, producer, critic and gay rights activist.He was born Alan Doric Wilson in Los Angeles, California, where his family was temporarily located. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, he was raised on his grandfather's ranch at Plymouth, Washington on...
, with archival footage from locally produced television programs, public service films warning of the "dangers" of homosexuality and "CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
CBS Reports: The Homosexuals
"The Homosexuals" is a 1967 episode of the documentary television series CBS Reports. The hour-long broadcast featured a discussion of a number of topics related to homosexuality and homosexuals. Mike Wallace anchored the episode, which aired on March 7, 1967...
", the film presents both a national perspective and a personal one. The film also touches on pre-Stonewall activism, including the Annual Reminder
Annual Reminder
The Annual Reminders were a series of early pickets organized by homophile organizations. The Reminder took place each July 4 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia beginning in 1965 and were among the earliest LGBT demonstrations in the United States...
pickets held in Philadelphia.
The film then shifts to the days immediately preceding the riot and the specific conditions in New York City, including a raid on the Stonewall Inn
Stonewall Inn
The Stonewall Inn, often shortened to Stonewall is an American bar in New York City and the site of the Stonewall riots of 1969, which are widely considered to be the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for gay and lesbian rights in the United...
that had happened days before the raid that triggered the riot, to explain why conditions were ripe for some action to happen. Archive film from the riots, dramatic re-enactments and eyewitness testimony are presented, along with animation of the streets surrounding the Stonewall Inn showing how rioters were able to evade and outflank responding police.
Stonewall Uprising concludes with an examination of the aftermath of the rioting, including the energizing of the gay community as a political force and the establishment of Christopher Street Liberation Day, the genesis of gay pride parade
Gay pride parade
Pride parades for the LGBT community are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture. The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage...
s in the United States.
Reception
Author, political strategist, civil rights activist and public affairs advisor David Mixner writes on his blog, DavidMixner.comAmerican Experience
Stonewall Uprising aired on PBSPublic Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
on April 25, 2011, as an episode of the series American Experience
American Experience
American Experience is a television program airing on the Public Broadcasting Service Public television stations in the United States. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in American history...
.