FIRST LOOK: Stonewall movie starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers sheds light on historical events that led to the gay rights movement and gay pride
The roots of the gay rights movement are explored in director Roland Emmerich's new drama Stonewall and on Tuesday the first feature trailer for the film was released online.
Stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Jeremy Irvine help bring to life the true story of New York's Stonewall Inn and the riots that broke out at the end of June 1969 between police and members of the gay community who congregated at the bar.
The Stonewall riots ushered in a new era of activism that led directly to the formation of a structured movement to win equal rights for LGBT people and the first ever Gay Pride Parade in New York in June 1970.
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Protagonists: Jeremy Irvine and Jonathan Rhys Meyers star in Stonewall, about the birth of the gay rights movement
Stonewall, which opens in movie theatres in North America on September 25, is a departure for Emmerich, the German-born filmmaker most associated with big budget hits such as Independence Day, Godzilla, White House Down and The Day After Tomorrow.
But for the openly-gay producer and director, Stonewall was a story that simply had to be told and he was going to make it happen.
'It was a huge challenge to make this movie, and if I had not absolutely wanted it, it would not have happened,' he said in an exclusive interview with Vulture on July 31.
Labor of love: Director and producer Roland Emmerich is openly-gay and used his clout as the maker of big budget hits like Independence Day and White House Down to get Stonewall made
While the film is based on historical fact, Emmerich uses a fictional character of a country boy thrown out of his home for being gay who arrives in New York City and is befriended by the LGBT community in Greenwich Village.
The story recounts the lead up to the Stonewall riots and the reasons why they happened.
The trailer opens with scene setting to place the events of June 1969 into historical perspective.
Old black and white video footage of civil rights and votes for women marches play as the voice of President Barack Obama intones his famous phrase: 'Ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
Country boy: British actor Irvine plays a fictional gay character Danny whose parents throw him out of their rural home because of his sexuality
Big city: He heads for New York City where he hopes life will be easier for a gay guy in the late 1960s
Downtown: Danny arrived at Christopher Street in Greenwich Village where the mob-owned Stonewall Inn is located
The action then cuts to Irvine's character Danny arriving in the Big Apple and flashbacks of him being taunted by classmates at high school for being gay and being thrown out of the family home.
He is soon taken under the wings of the gay men and the transvestites who live on the street and gather at The Stonewall Inn.
In an early scene a transvestite played by Jonny Beauchamp warns Danny: 'Don't use your real name. This place is owned by the mob.'
Own vibe: The Stonewall Inn was a gathering place for gay men and was the only gay bar in NYC that allowed dancing
Warning: A transvestite played by Jonny Beauchamp tells Danny the gay bar is run by the mafia. Historically The Stonewall Inn was patronized mainly by gay men but Emmerich includes lesbians and transvestites in his fictional account
Target: The New York cops frequently raided the gay bars but on June 28, 1969, one such raid sparked a hostile response from bar patrons and a riot ensued
Ring leader:Irish star Rhys Meyers plays Trevor, a community activist who leads the charge to fight for gay rights
But police raids on the bar and police beatings of gay men an transsexuals fueled growing anger among the bar's patrons and when another police raid takes place, scuffles break out between cops and customers.
The skirmish quickly escalates as cops try to arrest the gays and the gays fight back.
Rhys Meyers, as a community leader called Trevor, explains that its this brutality and lack of respect for their rights that mean the gay community has to fight back.
And it's a brick hurled by Danny that ignites the spark that, according to the film's publicity, causes a riot to ensue and births 'a crusade for equality.'
Turmoil: The LGBT community was stunned by the viciousness of police tactics and feelings of rage reached a flashpoint
Fighting back: The rioting marked a turning point. In the aftermath, gays stated to organize and formalize their campaign for equal rights
Lasting impact: One year to the day of the raid, on June 28, 1970, the first gay pride parade was held. It was called Christopher Street Liberation Day
Coming soon: Stonewall is scheduled for release in North America on September 25
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