“Milk” Filming Benefits the Castro

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Filming of Gus Van Sant’s upcoming biopic, Milk, has recently begun on location around San Francisco, including in the Castro neighborhood, which the film’s production team has transformed parts of to appear as they did in the early 70s. The film is about the first openly gay elected official in America, Harvey Milk, called “The Mayor of Castro Street”, who was assasinated along with Mayor George Moscone by Dan White in 1978. Van Sant has shot at locations connected to Milk including his camera shop on Castro Street (now a gift shop), City Hall, and the historic Castro Theatre.

The production, partnering with a local business association and the Castro Theatre’s owners, gathered funds to repair the neon on the marquee and also repaint the facade of the theater. Location manager Jonathan Shedd said, “There’s very few chances in our business where we can have a chance to make a postive change. But it’s nice to know that when we leave here, we’re going to leave something that’s had a lasting impact”.

The film stars Sean Penn as Harvey Milk and Josh Brolin as Dan White. Also starring in Milk are Emile Hirsch, James Franco, and Victor Garber.

For more information, see the article in the Hollywood Reporter.

Theaters in this post

• Castro Theatre