Studio One Forever Doc Shows the Fight to Save a Gay L.A. Landmark

From 1974 to 1994, Studio One was the center of queer nightlife in West Hollywood as well as the staging ground for the rise of the LGBTQ rights movement and fight against the AIDS crisis.

This storied history is chronicled in an upcoming documentary by Marc Saltarelli, who spoke with former patrons and performers at Studio One to retell its story.

"Climbing the staircase and entering the hallowed hall gave its young LGBTQ patrons a sense of freedom and acceptance during a time of rampant homophobia and police harassment. Young gay men would find a sense of community and safety here," the description for the production reads.

"Connected to the dance club, The Backlot evolved into the hottest live music venue in town. On any given night, you could catch established stars like Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera or Eartha Kitt alongside up and comers like Roseanne Barr or Rosie O'Donnell on the verge of taking off."

Studio One Forever also focuses on events in the present day, as the Los Angeles LGBTQ community fights to preserve the building, which is at risk of demolition.

See the first glimpse from the documentary below. And help support the film's completion at TheFilmCollaborative.org.