The 2008 biographical film about Harvey Milk starring Sean Penn is Milk.
Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Dustin Lance Black, the film follows Milk’s move to San Francisco, his work as a gay-rights activist, and his election to the city’s Board of Supervisors. Penn portrays Milk, while the supporting cast includes Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, and James Franco.
Milk became the first openly gay man elected to major public office in California. The film highlights his campaign against Proposition 6, a 1978 initiative that sought to ban gay and lesbian teachers from California’s public schools. It also depicts Milk’s partnership with political allies and his tense relationship with fellow supervisor Dan White.
A frequent mix-up is confusing Milk with The Times of Harvey Milk, the acclaimed 1984 documentary. The documentary covers Milk’s life and assassination and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The later film Milk is a scripted dramatic feature and won two Oscars: Best Actor for Penn and Best Original Screenplay for Black.