The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

2017 · 105 min · EN · 7.2 (92 votes)
Dir. David France · Starring Marsha P. Johnson, Victoria Cruz, Sylvia Rivera, Taylor Mead, Pat Bumgardner, Vito Russo · Music Bryce Dessner

A life that launched a revolution, a death that remains a mystery.

Documentary

Describing herself as a 'street queen,' Johnson was a legendary fixture in New York City’s gay ghetto and a tireless voice for LGBT pride since the days of Stonewall, who along with fellow trans icon Sylvia Rivera, founded Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), a trans activist group based in the heart of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Her death in 1992 was declared a suicide by the NYPD, but friends never accepted that version of events. Structured as a whodunit, with activist Victoria Cruz cast as detective and audience surrogate, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson celebrates the lasting political legacy of Johnson, while seeking to finally solve the mystery of her unexplained death.

VIBE

This film feels like a determined, yet somber, investigation into a life cut short. It’s a powerful tribute that blends archival footage with a present-day search for truth, honoring a vital activist while seeking justice.

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