Mike Tidmus

Trailer for Gus Van Sant’s biopic on assassinated gay leader, Harvey Milk.

At last, the trailer for Gus Van Sant‘s eagerly awaited film on Harvey Milk is out and floating around the internets. Actor Sean Penn, noted as much for his politics as his astonishing film performances, plays gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, who was gunned down in cold blood by fellow Supervisor and Twinkie aficionado, Dan White.

This looks positively brilliant, and Penn’s performance has been deemed Oscar-worthy. The film will be in theaters 26 November 2008. Can’t wait? Check out Randy Shilt‘s biography, The Mayor of Castro Street, and Rob Epstein’s remarkable film, The Times of Harvey Milk.

Also Note :

There is a movement afoot in California to have the State declare Milk’s birthday, 22 May, Harvey Milk Day. That proposal, AB 2567, was passed last May by the California State Assembly but is currently throttled by the State’s ongoing, budget fiasco in Sacramento. AB 2567, along with four other GLBT-positive bills intended to protect youth, seniors and same-sex couples, is under fire from extremist, right-wing religious organizations that want the bills vetoed. A few minutes of your time might encourage Governor Schwarzenegger to get out his pen and sign these bills into law.