Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria (2005)

Documentary about transgender women and drag queens who fought police harassment at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco's Tenderloin in 1966, three years before the famous riot at Stonewall Inn bar in NYC.

Directors:

Victor Silverman (co-director), Susan Stryker (co-director)

Writers:

Victor Silverman, Susan Stryker

Stars:

Ray Baxter, Elliot Blackstone, Aleshia Brevard

Cast

Credited cast:
Ray Baxter	...	Actor
Elliot Blackstone	...	Himself - Police Sergeant
Aleshia Brevard	...	Herself
Felicia Elizondo	...	Herself
Gary Gregerson	...	Actor
Ed Hansen	...	Himself (as Rev. Ed Hansen)
Lawrence Helman	...	Actor
Mollie Menzies	...	Actor
Miss Edy Modular	...	Actor
Amanda St. Jaymes	...	Herself
Susan Stryker	...	Herself

Storyline

Documentary about transgender women and drag queens who fought police harassment at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco's Tenderloin in 1966, three years before the famous riot at Stonewall Inn bar in NYC.

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Plot Keywords:

drag queen | f rated | transvestite | transsexual | male prostitute | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 June 2005 (USA)

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

57 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

User Reviews

An important moment in civil rights.

This 57 minute documentary is a little known slice of LGBT history and more importantly with a stress on the T. The T for Transgender. The film focuses on what life was like for this community as they tried to carve out an existence in the Tenderloin neighborhood of 1960s San Francisco. It's thanks to documentaries like these that LGBT history is being recognized. The film is well put together with archive images plus recreations of pivotal moments in the story of the riot. The interviews are particularly touching. Straight to camera heartfelt recollections from trans-gender women about their struggle to be accepted, their need to sell themselves simply to survive and the police brutality of the era. Recommended. And as for a previous reviewer thinking this is part of some gay agenda...well to be honest, who cares. The trans-gender director of the film deserves our thanks and praise for putting together an informative and entertaining slice of LGBT history. Well done!