Milk, the compelling new film by director Gus Van Sant [RISD ‘75, Film/Animation/Video], had a “sensational” opening weekend and is drawing even more attention now that it is playing on movie screens across the country. Chronicling the life of politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), who was assassinated in San Francisco in 1978, the film and its director have received many favorable reviews. The New Yorker calls it “a rowdy anthem of triumph” and Rolling Stone — which gives the film 4 stars out of 4, says — “Milk is Van Sant’s best film, which is saying a lot, since his generous intelligence and unforced grace shine through whether he’s sailing the mainstream (Good Will Hunting, To Die For) or riding riskier indie currents (Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Elephant). Van Sant means for his film to strike a personal chord […] it brings Harvey to life for a new generation instead of setting him in stone.”

More on Milk:
Thank you to Bri Johnson [RISD ‘94 Printmaking] who wrote to our-suggests*AT*risd.edu to tell us that a talented RISD grad is behind Milk’s costume designs: Danny Glicker [RISD ‘95, Industrial Design]. Before Milk, Danny designed for TransAmerica, Towelhead, Thank You For Smoking, and many other notable films.