Stonewall Onscreen: 10 Films to Mark the 50th Anniversary of the Gay Liberation Movement

“Pay It No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson” (2012)

The legacy of Marsha “Pay it No Mind” Johnson has been well documented at this point, after years of her immense contributions to the gay rights movement being shamefully ignored by the predominantly white mainstream. Legend has it that she “threw the first brick” on the night of the uprising, though the narrative has been disputed. What matters is that Johnson was a bold freedom fighter, a transgender activist, sex worker, Andy Warhol model, drag artist, and actress. Her life is celebrated in depth in this feature-length documentary by Michael Kasino, which utilizes interviews from those who knew Johnson best to fill in the colorful details with heart and authenticity. The entire film is available to watch online here, courtesy of Frameline Voices. 

“Stonewall” (1995)

Directed by artist and filmmaker Nigel Finch and produced by New Queer Cinema powerhouse Christine Vachon, this 1995 indie is one of the only narrative films about Stonewall. It features a young Guillermo Diaz, of “Scandal” and “Weeds” fame, in the role of La Miranda, a transgender Latinx sex worker loosely based on Sylvia Rivera. While the film stumbles by centering a cis white man (Frederick Weller), it is miles ahead of the Roland Emmerich film released 20 years later under the same title. 

“Happy Birthday, Marsha!” (2018)

Written, directed, and produced by queer and trans-femme filmmakers Tourmaline and Sasha Wortzel, this short film blends documentary footage with staged scenes to bring the days and moments before the riots to life. Starring Mya Taylor (“Tangerine”) as Marsha P. Johnson, Eve Lindley (“Mr. Robot”) as Sylvia Rivera, and Grace Dunham (“Girls”) as Junior, the film follows Johnson as she prepares to celebrate her birthday in the hours before igniting the 1969 riots. Available on Amazon Prime Video. 

“Before Stonewall” (1984)

Gorgeously restored for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, this feature-length documentary surveys the subcultural enclaves that had been advancing social change since the 1920s. Blending moving and humorous personal testimony with archival footage, “Before Stonewall” remains a crucial historical document exploring forms of resilience and resistance. Along with its companion piece, “After Stonewall” (1999), the two films provide a comprehensive and richly textured history of the LGBTQ movement throughout the 20th century. Now playing at the Quad Cinema in New York City. 

“Stonewall Outloud” (2019)

Made in conjunction with YouTube Originals and Storycorps, this new feature-length documentary brings the original Storycorps audio recording of Stonewall to life with the help of contemporary individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, including Lance Bass, Adam Rippon, and Keiynan Lonsdale. Directed and produced by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” producers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey, the documentary premieres June 28 on World of Wonder’s YouTube channel.

“Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest” (1994)

Finished a quarter century after the protests, “Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest,” produced by gay news program “In the Life,” took the measure of what’s changed for the queer community since 1969 — and what hasn’t. The program captures a million strong anniversary march in NYC, fanfare around Gay Games IV, a visit to the historic Stonewall Inn, and testimony from prominent gay and lesbian figures and allies, including Sir Ian McKellen, Harvey Fierstein, and Joan Rivers. Playing at Metrograph in New York City.

“Sylvia Rivera: A Tribute” (2002)

Along with her sister Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera founded the transgender activist organization STAR (Street Transvestive Action Revolutionaries). In interviews with friends and archival footage collected over the years, this 25-minute documentary pays homage to Rivera’s life and work after her death at age 52. She struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism for much of her life, but remained a trailblazer in the fight for social justice, especially transgender and human rights. The entire film is available here. 

“Stonewall Uprising” (2010)

Based on a book by historian David Carter and released on PBS as part of its series “American Experience,” this comprehensive feature-length documentary traces the history of the movement with journalistic precision. The film is directed by prolific documentarians Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, whose work often explores the intersections of queer activism and social justice. “Stonewall Uprising” is currently availabe on PBS online. 

“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson” (2017)

David France’s follow-up to “How to Survive a Plague” follows the extraordinary life and mysterious death of transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson. A village fixture and one of the driving forces in the Stonewall Riots, Johnson’s body was found in the Hudson river in 1992. The film traces her life, but spends more time on her death — and Johnson’s friend the activist Victoria Cruz’s labyrnthine search for justice.

Available on Netflix.

“Stonewall” (2015)

Roland Emmerich’s 2015 narrative drama received major backlash when it centered a cisgender white boy, even down to portraying him leading the rallying cry during the early moments of the riots. The film was also criticized for casting cisgender actors in the transgender roles of Marsha P. Johnson and as the fictional Ray/Ramona. Emmerich, a major Hollywood director and an out gay man, films the riots like he’s making a big-budget military drama, which makes sense since he brought us films like “Independence Day” and “The Patriot.” Still, it’s one of the only narrative films about Stonewall and a rare big-budget queer film.