Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders

Jeffrey Schwarz (Dir), 84 minutes, USA, Western New York Premiere

This meta-filmic meditation peels back the layers of controversy surrounding the making of the 1980 thriller, "Cruising." Directed by William Friedkin, the film triggered fierce protests from the LGBTQ+ community for its portrayal of a serial killer targeting gay men in New York's leather bars. Friedkin drew inspiration from the brutal murder of Variety reporter Addison Verrill, blurring the boundaries between cinematic fiction and real-life tragedy.

Many thanks to The Film Collaborative.