A new documentary, “Thanks to Hank,” by cinema and digital media professor Bob Ostertag, will have a free screening at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Ann E. Pitzer Center. The film explores the life of the late AIDS activist Hank Wilson, who grew up in Sacramento and was active in San Francisco.

A vibrant force in San Francisco’s political and arenas, Hank Wilson radically altered LGBTQ+ life and rights in the Bay Area, audiences are gifted an impactful and informative glimpse of history marked by Hank’s uncompromising vision, activism, and organizing.

Brought to life with archival footage, animation, and interviews with collaborators and friends—Tom Ammiano, Lea DeLaria, Donna Lisa Stewart, Gerry Kirby, and Blackberri to name only a few—this sweeping documentary uncovers the stunning impacts of Hank’s efforts that can still be felt today in AIDS service and queer youth organizations, cultural outlets, and local politics.

Capturing four decades of Hank’s work centering on the most marginalized in the community, director Bob Ostertag has created a touching homage that ensures audiences will not only come to know Hank’s legacy but also come to love the warm and relentless nature of a man who ignited immeasurable change.