I just saw this at a film festival and this was my unquestioned favorite of the 13 features I saw there.
I've always been interested in Fire Island, since hearing of its gay history in the 1970s, and the movie "Longtime Companion" in 1990 made me obsessed with visiting, which I did get to do for one night that year. It seemed to me at the time to be a very "holy" place, knowing all that had transpired there--though of course I did *not* know "all". This film really explained a lot about how Fire Island Pines got started, and covered right up to post-AIDS crisis.
The narration is very informative and interesting, and the photos and clips interspersed really bring a sense of being there. I especially loved the images of the infamous 1979 Beach Party.
If you have ANY interest in gay cultural history, this is a MUST!
I've always been interested in Fire Island, since hearing of its gay history in the 1970s, and the movie "Longtime Companion" in 1990 made me obsessed with visiting, which I did get to do for one night that year. It seemed to me at the time to be a very "holy" place, knowing all that had transpired there--though of course I did *not* know "all". This film really explained a lot about how Fire Island Pines got started, and covered right up to post-AIDS crisis.
The narration is very informative and interesting, and the photos and clips interspersed really bring a sense of being there. I especially loved the images of the infamous 1979 Beach Party.
If you have ANY interest in gay cultural history, this is a MUST!