It’s San Francisco in the 70s. In a era of social upheaval and change, Harvey Milk, a gay politician is murdered.  An aggressive young lesbian activist cab driver turned civil rights lawyer is in for the fight.  But can she really make a difference.

SYNOPSIS:

The story opens as the 1979 White Night Riot erupts in San Francisco after the lenient verdict in the Harvey Milk murder case. JR & Cat rush to City Hall after seeing the news coverage and get caught up in the mayhem.

We then step back in time several years with JR returning to her home town in Southern California for her grandmother’s funeral. It brings out the family dynamics and conflict around JR’s not inconspicuous queer identity as well as her choice to drop out of college against all expectations. JR is trying to figure out what to do with her life.

She meets Skye at a street demonstration and she is invited to a womens group where she is challenged on her somewhat privileged background and general naivete. She also meets up with Cameron at a gay bar where he works. When a gay bashing incident unfolds in the parking lot, JR jumps right into the fight. The bashers are rescued by the police and the bar patrons are threatened with arrest. She is outraged at the irony and injustice.

Cameron joins JR when she returns to San Francisco. The City has become a safe haven for the thousands of LGBT people migrating from other parts of the country. Their open and joyous visibility spawns a backlash of hatred and anti-gay legislation all over the country.

JR gets a job driving a cab, goes back to college and ends up in law school after all. She settles down with Sandy and takes a lawyer position in a small firm doing progressive legal work… mostly. JR really only wants to do civil rights work and starts volunteering in a womens shelter writing restraining orders. Her first client is abducted by her husband and murdered. JR’s restraining order didn’t save her.

Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay politician is murdered in City Hall along with the liberal mayor, George Moscone. At that time, San Francisco is still reeling in shock after the Jonestown Massacre in Guyana. The Peoples Temple, led by Jim Jones, had been based in San Francisco and most of the 900+ people who died had been from here.

JR’s drinking begins to increase and she is dogged by anxiety and panic attacks over her inability to fix everything and make it right. But she remains hard headed and uncompromising in everything she does even being unwilling to soften her appearance and demeanor.

The story picks up with the riot where JR is injured by a policeman in the fray and ends up in the ER. She is ranting and infuriated by the brutality and wants her law firm to take legal action against the police department. But there aren’t the resources and her motion to consolidate the police brutality claims is denied by the court. She is defeated again.

More conflicts with the firm arise when JR wants to work on housing discrimination cases. This is the beginning of the AIDS epidemic as the City enters a new era of fear and grief. The work load at the firm is shifting to more lucrative legal work and JR is pressured to give up her pro-bono legal services efforts. Financial pressures are mounting at home too as Sandy’s expectations of life with a well paid professional partner are clearly not going to happen. She leaves.

JR gets an opportunity to take over a legal aid clinic and jumps at the chance. Finally she can have a practice doing just what she wants. The caseload and number of people needing her help is ever increasing.

JR is in and out of the AIDS ward at San Francisco General Hospital interviewing clients facing eviction. Who should resurface as a nurse trainee but Skye. She has been in San Francisco with her old housemate, Arlo, for a while. Skye and JR almost cross paths but again don’t see each other.

The AIDS death toll mounts. Cameron succumbs and well as Arlo. The City grieves and JR is losing her grip. The champion is burning out.

Financial problems compound with the new clinic when JR loses a critical grant. The funding is drying up. She has to close it down. After being helped home from a bar by Marcia, JR gets on her motorcycle and crashes it ending up in the ER again.

15 years later.

JR isn’t practicing law anymore but running an investigations business and driving a cab. She’s sober and after a meeting is approached by the two grown up children of the murdered woman JR had tried to help at the womens shelter.

JR’s father dies and there is reconciliation with the family at the funeral. Everyone has grown up with the next generation standing in the wings. JR takes a ride to cruise by the old neighborhood. Who should show up at the café where they met decades earlier but Skye — sending JR a facebook friend request. This time they see each other.

Awards:

Winner: 2020 Hollywood Womens Film Festival Best Original Feature ScreenplayFinalist: 2020 Rainbow Cinema LGBT Awards

Finalist: 2020 Red Flight Pictures Screenplay Awards

Finalist: 2018 Circus Road Screenplay Competition

Winner Best LGBT Drama: 2020 American Filmatic Awards

Semi-Finalist: 2019 WRPN Womens International Film

Festival

Semi-Finalist: 2019 Depth of Field Film Festival

Official Selection: 2019 Artemis Women in Action Film

Festival

Finalist: 2019 Lonely Seal International Film

Festival

Winner Best Feature Script: 2019 Top Indie Film

Awards (Winter Quarter)

Finalist: 2020 Los Angeles Film Awards(Fall Quarter)

Official Selection: Queen Palm International Film

Festival (Summer Quarter)

Official Selection: 2018 Finish Line Screenplay

Competition