Best known for The Celluloid Closet, his landmark book that critiqued the portrayal of lesbians and gays in Hollywood cinema, Vito Russo was not only a cinephile, but also an activist whose radicalism began in the aftermath of the Stonewall uprising and continued during the 1980s through his involvement with GAA (Gay Activists Alliance), GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), and ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power), right up until his death from AIDS in 1990. In 1986, Russo presented a captivating lecture and clips presentation at the opening night of Reeling’s sixth film festival. On this 30th anniversary of our festival, we are pleased to remember the man who pointed out the wrongs in LGBT representation that festivals like Reeling were founded to correct.
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