Director Gus Van Sant’s well-made biopic of Harvey Milk, who became the first overtly gay elected public official in the USA, boasts an award-worthy portrait of Milk by Sean Penn.

He compels attention as the Jewish campaigner who was elected in 1977 to the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco, only to be assassinated a year later.

Van Sant concentrates on illuminating Milk’s progress from camera-shop owner to fighting for acceptance of homosexuals.

James Brolin, as his colleague on the board and eventual killer, offers fine support, but this is Penn’s film.