“An emotionally powerful documentary portrait with an impassioned voice that befits its subject..Vito is enormously entertaining, enlivened by countless choice movie clips.”
— David Rooney,
“A brilliant new HBO documentary [that] truly honors Russo's memory, his sacrifice, and his dedication to LGBT equality. VITO is an important documentary that everyone, LGBT or not, should see.”
— Charlotte Robinson,
“One of the rare politically constructed films with a strong emotional through-line, an undertow that sweeps you out into a sea of feelings normally verboten in the politically constipated world of American politics.”
— David Lamble,
ABOUT THE FILM
LONG SYNOPSIS
In the aftermath of Stonewall, a newly politicized Vito Russo found his voice as a gay activist and critic of LGBT representation in the media. He went on to write “The Celluloid Closet,” the first book to critique Hollywood’s portrayals of gays on screen. During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, Vito became a passionate advocate for justice via the newly formed ACT UP, before his death in 1990.
Director Jeffrey Schwarz
Producer Jeffrey Schwarz
Executive Producer Bryan Singer
Co-Producers Philip Harrison, Lotti Pharriss Knowles
Editor Philip Harrison
Cinematographer David Quantic
Music Miriam Cutler
Cast Lily Tomlin, Armistead Maupin, Larry Kramer, Bruce Vilanch, Michelangelo Signorile, Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
FESTIVALS
New York Film Festival, Berlinale 62 Panorama, 2012 Frameline (Opening Night), Outfest 2012 (Opening Night)
AVAILABLE TERRITORIES
The World
EXHIBITION FORMATS
HDCAM, Digibeta, Blu-Ray, DVD
PRESS KIT
Download Press Kit
AVAILABLE PRESS IMAGES (click to preview)
DOWNLOAD IMAGES
Download Poster
DOWNLOAD HI-RES 27x40 ONE SHEET
DIALOGUE LIST
Download Timecoded Dialogue List