In the aftermath of the Stonewall riots in June 1969, 23-year-old film student Vito Russo found his voice as a gay activist and critic of LGBT representation in the media. Over the next 20 years, until his death from AIDS in 1990, he was one of the most outspoken and inspiring activists in the LGBT community’s fight for equal rights. Vito co-founded the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and was actively involved in the AIDS direct action group, ACT UP. He also wrote The Celluloid Closet, the first book to explore the history of Hollywood's portrayal of gays and lesbians on film, which was later adapted into an award-winning 1995 documentary.
Now Mr. Russo is the subject of his very own documentary, Vito, by filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz (who previously directed 2008's Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon). Debuting this Monday (July 23) on HBO, Vito uses period footage and film clips to capture a vibrant era of gay culture and features archival interviews with Vito as well as personal stories from his many friends, including Lily Tomlin and Bruce Vilanch.
For more information on the documentary, go to vitorussomovie.com. You can also "like" Vito on Facebook.
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