The View from Here

by Matthew Hays

The history of gay and lesbian cinema is a storied one, and became that much larger with the recent success of Brokeback Mountain. But the history of gay and lesbian filmmakers is its own story. In The View From Here, queer directors and screenwriters speak passionately about the medium, in particular their personal experiences navi-gating the often cynical and cruel film industry. All of them offer fascinating anecdotes and ideas about cinema, and speak candidly about their attempts to combat studio apathy and demands of "the market" to create films that are entertaining, engaging, and truthful. Filmmakers profiled include John Waters, Gus Van Sant, Don Roos, Randal Kleiser, Don Mancini, Gregg Araki, Isaac Julien, Lea Pool, Monika Treut, Rosa von Praunheim, Pedro Almodóvar, and many more.