Milk

Gus Van Sant gives the ending away in the first minute. Dianne Feinstein announces the assassinations to the press, Harvey Milk is seen taping his will 9 days before it happens, and only then does the film drop back to New York in 1970. Suspense is spent on purpose, and campaign work takes its place: doors, shopkeepers, a phone tree. Feinstein’s 1978 statement was not restaged: the real news footage is used, and Ashlee Temple plays her only in linking scenes. The production rebuilt Castro Camera at the shop’s actual address, 575 Castro Street, taking the space for 9 weeks, and dressed about 50 storefronts across 2 blocks, each section for the year its scenes take place. People from Milk’s circle appear on screen, among them his speechwriter Frank M. Robinson, Cleve Jones, Anne Kronenberg and Daniel Nicoletta. The film drew 8 Academy Award nominations and won 2: lead actor for Sean Penn and original screenplay for Dustin Lance Black. It lost best picture, directing, supporting actor, original score, costume design and film editing. A good fit if you want political struggle told at the level of vote counts, window displays and phone lists. Not for you if knowing the outcome first kills your interest, because the killing is announced before the story begins.