The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin

This documentary,part of Queer Film Fest is a gem,so enjoyable and informative and Director Jennifer J Kroot has captured the Tales and Times of Armistead Maupin beautifully and nostalgically. If you visited a straight club or bar and asked who Armistead Maupin is I doubt many people would know of him but for us in the GLBTQI Community he represents the vital years of Gay Liberation from the late 1970's ,1980's and on , not because he was a rampant anarchist or demonstrator but because he introduced us to the beloved characters of his Tales of the City and his beloved city of San Francisco and gave us stories of friendship love and adventure that we could relate to. The documentary shows his early years and family history before coming out and the times he has lived through the Stonewall Riots , AIDS at its height that wiped out many of the Gay population of San Francisco and many of his friends . It's great to see the original cast members such as the now world renowned actress Laura Linney , who played Mary- Anne Singleton and Olympia Dukakis who was the magical mysterious transgendered Anna Madrigal recall their experiences of the series and their affection for Armistead. I recalled a treasured San Francisco moment in 1995 on our first trip when we were at Fisherman's Wharf and a double decker bus pulled up and out popped a chorus of glittery glamorous drag queens . They alighted from their bus and proceeded to a brilliantly lit Carousel did a few sparkly rounds then got back on the bus and took off into the night. I remember thinking this was an Armistead Maupin Tales of the City moment and it made me smile to think that San Francisco is Sydney's sister city.