Before Stonewall
In 1969 the patrons of the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village decided to fight back, transforming a routine police raid into three nights of rioting which marked the beginning of the Gay Liberation movement. Before Stonewall examines the historical background to this sudden burst of political energy - from the social experimentation of the Roaring Twenties, to the discovery of the true size of this hidden society during World War II, to the scapegoating of homosexuals durng the McCarthy era, to the development of the early homophile rights movement - providing an informative and engaging portrait of the history of homosexual experience in America. Using filmed recollections and a wealth or archival material, Before Stonewall traces the social, political, and cultural development of the gay and lesbian community.
Selected Festivals, Awards, and TV Broadcasts
Screened in 30 international film festivals including Berlin, London, Florence, Toronto and Melbourne. Broadcast in USA, Britain, Denmark, China, Japan and Australia.
- Emmy Award Best Historical/Cultural Program 1987
- Emmy Award Best Research 1987
- First Place, National Educational Film Festival USA
- Best Film, Houston International Film Festival
- Best Documentary Feature, Los Angeles FILMEX
- Honorable Mention, Global Village Documentary Festival
Directed by Greta Schiller. Produced by John Scagliotti, Greta Schiller and Robie Rosenberg. Executive producer, John Scagliotti. Co-director, Robbie Rosenberg. Archive research director, Andrea Weiss. Editor, Bill Daughton. Produced by Before Stonewall Inc.
Press Room: What the Media Are Saying about Before Stonewall