20 Important Documentaries about HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) continue to pose a significant threat to health and well-being worldwide. While scientific progress has been made to some extent, the stigma and discrimination associated with these diseases often prevent victims from accessing effective care and support.
To help raise awareness about the realities of HIV/AIDS, documentary filmmakers have created a range of emotionally charged and educational films. In this blog, we’ll examine some of the best AIDS documentaries that you should watch.
1. How To Survive a Plague (2012)
This documentary depicts the story of activists fighting for their lives and the lives of others suffering from the AIDS crisis at the time.
'How to Survive a Plague' depicts the efforts of two groups who were at the forefront of the movement that would lead to breakthrough antiretroviral drugs and treatments becoming available.
👉 Watch How To Survive a Plague on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy How To Survive a Plague as DVD on Amazon
2. 5B (2018)
'5B' is the story of a pioneering group of staff members who created the first in-patient ward for AIDS patients in San Francisco.
The documentary portrays the challenging journey of a nurse who founded the ward with a group of her professional peers and a gay activist, Rudy Galindo, who was among the first patients to be admitted to the facility. It outlines their collective fight against stigma, fear, and prejudice that the AIDS community faced at the time. A groundbreaking movie about aids epidemic.
3. Killing Patient Zero (2019)
This documentary follows the story of Gaëtan Dugas, often referred to as 'Patient Zero' by the media, who was mistakenly identified as an AIDS carrier at the onset of the epidemic.
The documentary highlights how wrong information gets circulated, leading to incorrect social and political decisions, and how Dugas became a unique figure in the AIDS movement.
👉 Watch Killing Patient Zero on Amazon Prime
4. United in Anger: A History of ACT UP (2012)
'United in Anger' is not only a detailed history of the most important and militant activist groups that confronted the AIDS crisis. It also portrays their stories primarily told through footage and contemporary analysis of the ACT UP movement.
While some people might not be familiar with ACT UP, it was a pioneer of its time with an unquestionable impact on modern world politics and the attention and support of marginalized groups.
👉 Watch United in Anger: A History of ACT UP on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy United in Anger: A History of ACT UP as DVD on Amazon
5. After 82: The Untold Story of the AIDS Crisis in the UK (2019)
This documentary chronicles the journey of the UK's response to the AIDS crisis and shows its significant impact.
It covers the rise of AIDS deaths in the UK, the reluctance of the Thatcher administration to act promptly on the crisis, and the leading role of organizations such as The Terrence Higgins Trust in the battle against AIDS and, ultimately, in preventing new infections by emphasizing the importance of safe sex.
After 82: The Untold Story of the AIDS Crisis in the UK on IMDb
6. Aids: The Unheard Tapes (2022)
This new BBC 2 film is currently under production, and it hopes to tell the story of early AIDS epidemics with audio diaries and stories from the time. One of the standout interviews is with Larry Kramer, who is regarded as one of the most critical figures in the AIDS movement in America.
Aids: The Unheard Tapes on IMDb
7. We Were Here (2011)
We Were Here chronicles the onset of the HIV/AIDS crisis in San Francisco and the response of the community to support those affected. Featuring personal interviews with caregivers, activists, and survivors, it reveals the compassion and resolve of those who witnessed the disease's devastating toll.
👉 Watch We Were Here on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy We Were Here as DVD on Amazon
8. 30 Years from Here (2011)
30 Years from Here shows the plight of people who have been living with HIV/AIDS for over 30 years on different continents. It documents the diplomatic approach and creative tactics that activists and advocates employed to change governments’ attitudes about AIDS, gaining widespread support from the global community.
👉 Watch 30 Years from Here on Amazon Prime
9. Fire in the Blood (2013)
Fire in the Blood exposes the appalling failure of governments and large pharmaceutical companies to help combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. One of the scientific documentaries for the pharmaceutical industry, it retraces the smuggling of low-cost AIDS drugs from India that saved millions of lives through the stories of activists, patients, and doctors.
👉 Buy Fire in the Blood as DVD on Amazon
10. Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989)
In 1987, over 1,000 people gathered to create a huge memorial, the AIDS Memorial Quilt, to commemorate those who had died of AIDS. Common Threads is the heartrending account of the genesis of this moving project, featuring personal interviews with families, lovers, and friends, as well as footage of the early years of the crisis.
👉 Watch Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt as DVD on Amazon
11. Silence = Death (1990)
Silence = Death analyzes the impact of HIV/AIDS on the gay community surrounding the epidemic in New York City during the 1980s.
The director of this film, Rosa von Praunheim, captures the fear and anxiety that permeated the gay community in the face of the AIDS epidemic and the urgent call for political participation and action.
👉 Watch Silence = Death on Amazon Prime
12. No Sad Songs (1985)
No Sad Songs is a documentary, which follows the life and treatment of Tim, a young man with hemophilia who contracted HIV/AIDS. This film inspired a public outcry over the government's slow response to the crisis and provided a human face to the casualties of the disease.
13. Positive (1990)
This documentary follows a gay man named David, who was diagnosed with HIV and the many hurdles he had to overcome from the time of his diagnosis. It was one of the first documentaries to give viewers an inside look at how the HIV/AIDS epidemic impacted the gay community.
14. Over Our Dead Bodies (1991)
This documentary chronicles the 10-year journey of an AIDS activist group called ACT UP. It’s an inspiring film that shows how the group’s relentless efforts led to ground-breaking progress in raising awareness about and fighting the disease.
15. Life and Death on the A-List (1996)
This documentary profiles the lives of five New Yorkers who are living with HIV/AIDS. The film follows their struggles with the disease, the treatments, and the stigma they face. It also highlights the social and political factors that contribute to the spread of the virus. The film offers an intimate and powerful look at life with HIV/AIDS in the late 1990s.
Life and Death on the A-List on IMDb
16. Factor 8: The Arkansas Prison Blood Scandal (2005)
This documentary tells the story of how thousands of blood donors in Arkansas contracted HIV/AIDS due to faulty blood screening procedures in the 1980s. This documentary is not only a cautionary tale but also sheds light on the corruption within the healthcare system.
Factor 8: The Arkansas Prison Blood Scandal on IMDb
17. Tongues Untied (1989)
This documentary is unique in that it focuses on the experiences of black, gay men who were battling HIV/AIDS. It tackles challenging issues like racism, homophobia, and the fear of being ostracized by friends and family.
Marlon Riggs, the filmmaker, is himself HIV-positive, and Tongues Untied reflects the impact of the AIDS epidemic on the African American gay community.
The documentary discusses the discrimination and social prejudices faced by black gay men in America. The film also features poetry and art created by Riggs, which provides a unique perspective on the virus and its effect on his own life.
👉 Watch Tongues Untied on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy Tongues Untied as DVD on Amazon
18. Sex Positive (2008)
This documentary highlights the life of Richard Berkowitz, an activist, and writer who is credited with coining the term "safer sex" during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.
The film follows his journey from a sex worker to an advocate for safe sex practices. It also explores the political and social factors that hindered the efforts to combat the spread of the virus.
👉 Watch Sex Positive on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy Sex Positive as DVD on Amazon
19. The Lazarus Effect (2010)
This film is a science documentary that presents the groundbreaking research and the transformative impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on people living with HIV/AIDS.
The documentary features the stories of four people who came back from the brink of HIV/AIDS death after the treatments. The Lazarus Effect illustrates the hope of science and medicine in battling the virus.
👉 Watch The Lazarus Effect on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy The Lazarus Effect as DVD on Amazon
20. House of Numbers: Anatomy of an Epidemic (2009)
This documentary examines the controversies surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic as an aids origin documentary but also discusses the accuracy of HIV testing and the efficacy of ART medication.
The film features interviews with various doctors, scientists, and activists with different views and opinions on the subject. It is a thought-provoking and challenging documentary encouraging viewers to analyze their beliefs and approaches towards the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
House of Numbers: Anatomy of an Epidemic on IMDb
Conclusion
These documentaries vividly convey the challenges and tragedies associated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic while also highlighting the resilience and dedication of the campaigners, advocates, and communities who fought against ignorance, secrecy, and marginalization.
By watching these movies about the aids epidemic, you can learn about the origins, the ways it has impacted different communities, and the fight to make treatments available and reduce the negative stereotypes associated with HIV/AIDS. The stories told in these documentaries offer hope, inspiration, and a call to take action to fight against HIV/AIDS. It’s impossible to choose the best aids documentary from this selection as each offers different insights into the theme.
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