Marsha P. Johnson’s body was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992 and 25 years later the case remains cold. “The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson” investigates what may have happened to the trans icon — and why so little has seemingly been done to solve what very well may be a murder case.
Described as “the Rosa Parks of the LGBT movement” in a new trailer for the Netflix documentary, Johnson played an influential role in the Stonewall riots. She also helped form the world’s first trans-rights organization, STAR (Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries). “I have been beaten. I have been thrown in jail. I have lost my job for gay liberation. Revolution now!” Johnson demands in the trailer.
When Johnson’s body was discovered, the NYPD classified the situation as a suicide and refused to investigate. “Now, a quarter century later, at a time of unprecedented visibility and escalating violence in the transgender community, Marsha’s old friend and fellow activist Victoria Cruz has taken it upon herself to reexamine what happened to Marsha,” Netflix’s official synopsis teases. “Dipping deep into jaw-dropping archival footage of another era of New York City life, ‘The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson’ follows as this champion pursues leads, mobilizes officials, and works to tell the story of Marsha’s life and get to the bottom of Marsha’s death.”
The doc made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. You can catch it in select theaters and on Netflix beginning October 6.
