Filmmaker DAVID WEISSMAN has made two acclaimed documentaries about the San Francisco gay community that address political issues with a personal, emotional perspective. The Cockettes (2002) explored the “hippy acid drag queen” movement of the late-60s, while his new film We Were Here, which is short-listed for the Oscar, looks at the 1980s AIDS epidemic in a remarkably uplifting way. While visiting London, he spoke exclusively with QX’s Jack Leger.
It wasn’t planned at all, really. It was very early in the first interview, like in the first 10 minutes, that I realised that the movie would probably not have more than seven or eight people in it. Because what I was liking right away was the feeling of depth and the human experience. And I didn’t want to dilute that by having too many people. It’s challenging to tell an epic 30-year history with five people.
Why did you decide to return to the AIDS epidemic?
The scope of the movie completely reflects my personal history of San Francisco. I got there in 1976. So basically I’m using these five people to tell my story. My only research for the film was having lived through it. And I couldn’t have made a movie that would have been a downer, because that’s just not who I am. It was integral from the beginning that the movie had to be inspirational, with a positive message in the midst of the horror.
There were people who engaged through care-giving, people who disengaged and tried to avoid the whole thing, and people who got angry and fuelled this incredible political movement that’s facilitated enormous change. I think to some degree San Francisco was a little different because we had a more benevolent city government and we were a much more powerful gay community. Certainly a tremendous amount of fighting had to go on here in the UK – I mean, it was during the Thatcher years!
Well, we still have kids committing suicide because they’re bullied as gay people, and young people are still thrown out by their parents. Religion continues to be a hideous force in society, and you can quote me on that! But in the big cities, gay life has sort of reverted to being just about partying, and it’s my hope that this film will help younger gay men see what a beautiful thing it is to live in a positive and caring way in the world.
Yes, I think the epidemic made me a premature elder in the community. I’ve always been a believer in the importance of preserving and telling our stories, particularly in a community where we don’t learn our history from our parents, unlike ethnic minorities, for example. With The Cockettes, it was important that we made a movie that didn’t say “look what you missed” but “look what’s possible”. It says, “If you have an impulse to be wilder and freer, go for it. Put on that extra set of false eyelashes and throw on that glitter!” And I think We Were Here says less about the fear of Kaposi’s sarcoma than it says about the positivity of being part of a community that takes care of each other.
So what are you working on next?
I never have a clue what’s next in my life. I just want to go body surfing!
• We Were Here is in cinemas now and will be available on Peccadillo DVD on 5th December.
• There is a special screening at Eagle on Sunday 4th December.
