critics consensus

We Were Here revisits the crises facing the gay community in the early 1980s -- and offers a powerful tribute to the inspiring resolve shown at a time of turmoil. Read critic reviews

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We Were Here Photos

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Movie Info

During the 1970s, San Francisco became a safe haven for the gay and lesbian community, providing a place where one could live openly, away from discrimination. But, after almost a decade of celebration, the city was hit by a wave of shock and grief when it became ground zero of the AIDS epidemic, with hundreds of gay men falling victim to the disease. Director David Weissman explores the incredible story of love and loss through the eyes of five men and women who experienced it firsthand.

Genre:

documentary, biography, history, gay and lesbian, drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

David Weissman, Bill Weber
Producer:

David Weissman
Release Date (Theaters):

Sep 9, 2011 limited
Release Date (Streaming):

Mar 23, 2017
Runtime:

1h 30m
Production Co:

Weissman Projects

Cast & Crew

Paul Boneberg

Ed Wolf

Daniel Goldstein

Guy Clark

David Weissman
Director

Bill Weber
Director

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for We Were Here

Critics Consensus: Contagion and Warrior are Certified Fresh

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Critic Reviews for We Were Here

All Critics (46) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (46)

We Were Here does not move behind the scope of San Francisco, which I considered a benefit. It allows the viewer to fully immerse themselves in the story.

May 10, 2016 | Full Review…

Monica Castillo
Bitch Media
A simple, powerful act of bearing witness, We Were Here is a sober reminder of the not-too-distant past, when gays were focused not on honeymoon plans but on keeping people alive.

February 28, 2012 | Full Review…

Melissa Anderson
L.A. Weekly
Weissman documents the ingenuity, generosity and optimism of a community that fell victim to a horrible disease that, with astonishing speed, turned the world inside out.

November 25, 2011 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

London Evening Standard
Even if, understandably, it's a little inward-looking (the ongoing disaster in Africa gets barely a mention), as a slice of social history, We Were Here takes an invigoratingly positive position on a very gloomy time.

November 25, 2011 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Andrew Pulver
Guardian
Quote not available.

November 25, 2011 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Empire Magazine
An honest, frank and often moving documentary that deals with its difficult subject matter sensitively and compellingly.

November 24, 2011 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Paul Weedon
Little White Lies
The best film effort to date that can unite the generations until there's a cure

June 10, 2020 | Full Review…

David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
This powerful, affecting film should help ensure that by remembering the past we will not be condemned to repeat it.

May 27, 2020 | Full Review…

Ellin Stein
The Arts Desk
A must-see, and not just for its subject matter. This potent documentary is a brave statement by those involved in its making, released in a time when public attitudes to homosexuality and the AIDS virus are still loaded with fear and ignorance.

December 5, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Joseph Walsh
CineVue
Though the topic is sad, We Were Here is a tribute to the heroism of those who stepped up to help, and to the resilience of the gay community itself.

March 15, 2017 | Full Review…

Jean Lowerison
San Diego Gay & Lesbian News
We Were Here ultimately serves as a tribute -- not only to those who are no longer with us, but also to those who crossed the minefield and emerged as survivors, storytellers and heroes.

March 30, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
...cinematographer Marsha Kahm has done a stellar job of zeroing in on the disparate visages whether revelling in the joy of a long-forgotten moment with a former partner or letting tears of 'Why not me?' come into unabashed focus.

March 2, 2012 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

James Wegg
JWR

View All Critic Reviews (46)

Audience Reviews for We Were Here

Nov 27, 2013

An important and engaging documentary about the unimaginable horrors of the early years of AIDS. Although I had head some of this before from older friends, it provided a much better, more complete account of a harrowing time. It is easy to forget the pain and fears of others, or just to know them in a detached academic way. We should never forget that an entire community dying was reality for some people.

Christian C Super Reviewer
May 14, 2013

"We Were Here" is a simple, yet powerfully effective documentary history of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco that creates a clear timeline of events, running from first rumors through effective treatment. This is told by a handful of survivors and eyewitnesses in their own words, recalling lost friends and loved ones, thus bringing such momentous events down to a deeply personal level. And the archival footage and photographs work well in tandem with this. Of particular interest is the valuable work of the lesbian community during the epidemic, previously a lesser partner in the larger gay community, rising to the occasion in more ways than one.(Correct me if I'm wrong but I think this was only glanced over in "And the Band Played On" by Randy Shilts.)

Walter M Super Reviewer
Mar 30, 2011

Devastating documentary chronicles the AIDS epidemic in the gay community from its beginnings in San Francisco. Plays out almost like a war doc, using personal stories to create a look at the front lines of the battle against AIDS with great reverence and dignity.

Matthew L Super Reviewer