SNquietFilms About HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the human immune system by infecting and destroying CD4 cells or T-cells, which is a type of white blood cell. These cells are the most important part of the immune system because they play a direct role in recognizing and destroying foreign pathogens such as viruses or bacteria that enter the human body.
Apart from that, CD4 cells also signal other immune cells regarding danger from foreign pathogens. If more and more CD4 cells destroyed by the HIV virus, the body’s immunity can weaken, making it susceptible to various diseases. Severe HIV infection can develop into Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). When someone experiences AIDS, their body no longer has the ability to fight infections that arise. Until now, no cure has found for HIV/AIDS.
However, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) can receive an anti-retroviral (ARV) regimen which is useful in reducing the development of infection and the risk of complications. By taking ARVs regularly, people with HIV/AIDS can have a long life expectancy. In fact, PLWHA who regularly receive ARVs can remain productive.
Transmission of HIV/AIDS can occur through contact with bodily fluids (including blood), such as through sexual intercourse, sharing the same injection needle, or from the mother (with PLWHA status) to the fetus. Please note, this virus cannot transmitted through tears, sweat, saliva, mosquito bites, or physical touch. Therefore, to avoid transmission, there is no need to stay away from people living with HIV/AIDS or isolate them.
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Films about HIV
1. Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Dallas Buyers Club an American biographical drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallee and producers Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter. This film adapted from a true story whose script written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack. Dallas Buyers Club premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2013, and released widely in the United States on November 22, 2013.
This Films About HIV, starring Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, and Jennifer Garner, managed to get positive reviews from critics. On the IMDB site, this film received a rating of 8/10 from 465 thousand raters. Dallas Buyers Club tells the story of Ron Woodroff’s (Matthew McConaughey) struggle against AIDS by looking for drugs that can improve his health.
In 1980, Ron predicted to only able to survive for 30 days after diagnosed with AIDS. While treated in hospital, he received the antiretroviral drug Zidovudine which still in the clinical trial phase. At that time, drugs such as ARVs had not yet discovered. The drug that RON received at that time the only antiretroviral approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and thought to able to extend the life span of people living with HIV/AIDS. However, the drug did not have a positive effect on Ron, in fact his health continued to decline. Because of this, he started taking medicines and nutritional supplements Protein Peptide T prescribed by Dr. Vass (Griffin Dunne).
2. Philadelphia (1993)
Philadelphia an American drama film that released December 14, 1993 in Los Angeles and December 22, 1993 in the United States. The script for this film written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. This film, which received a rating of 7.7/10 from 234 thousand raters on the IMDB site, stars Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards and Antonio Banderas. Meanwhile, on the Rotten Tomatoes page, Philadelphia received a score of 81 percent on the Tomatometer from 89 percent of the audience.
This films About HIV focuses on the story of Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks), a senior attorney at Philadelphia’s largest law firm who hides his status as a person living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). One day, Beckett accidentally injured his forehead and showed Kaposi’s Sarcoma or purple bruises which are common in PLWHA. A co-worker saw this and a few days later there an incident that resulted in Beckett fired. Beckett believes someone deliberately engineered the incident. Because of this, Beckett looked for a lawyer to take his case to court.
In an environment that stigmatizes HIV/AIDS as a disgrace, Beckett must fight to get justice for his rights as a human being. In the process, Beckett had 10 lawyers. One of them is Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) who fought until the end. Initially, Joe Miller rejected Beckett’s case because he had a phobia about the sexual activity of Beckett, who was a homosexual. Apart from that, Joe also worried that HIV/AIDS can transmitted through touch. Even so, Miller ultimately sympathizes with Beckett. After a long legal process, Beckett won his case. However, Beckett died because he did not receive treatment more quickly.
3. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody is a musical biographical film that tells the story of the successful journey of the band Queen. This film directed by Bryan Singer and stars Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joe Mazzello, Aiden Gillen and Allen Leech. Bohemian Rhapsody focuses on the life of Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury. This film tells the story of when Freddie and his friends started the band Queen, producing the music on their phenomenal album and the sexuality issues that affected the band members’ collaboration.
Queen’s success continued until the early 1980s. However, at that time they began to experience some internal problems due to Freddie’s romantic relationship with Paul Prenter (Queen’s band manager). In the same year, Mery Austin, Freddie’s fiancé, broke off their relationship because he found out that Freddie was a homosexual. This condition made Freddie’s mental health decline further and he experienced a crisis of loving himself.
Freddie’s relationship with the band members of Queen soured when he decided to pursue a solo career by signing with CBS Records.
Freddie returned to London and reconciled with his band members and manager Jim Beach and eventually performed together at the Live Aid concert. On that occasion, Freddie also told his colleagues that he infected with HIV/AIDS. Meanwhile, the media began to catch wind of Freddie’s sexuality scandal spread by Paul Prenter. In 1991, Freddie Mercury died and the following year Queen members formed the Mercury Phonix Trust organization to help PLWHA around the world. On the IMDB site, the film Bohamian Rhapsody received a score of 7.9/10 from 496 thousand raters.
4. Films About HIV: How to Survive a Plague (2012)
How to Survive a Plague is a documentary film that follows the story of the AIDS activist group “ACT UP” in fighting for the rights of PLWHA to immediately receive HIV medication. The film How to Survive a Plague released on January 22 2012 at the Sundance Film Festival and on a limited basis on September 21 2012 in America. Reported by the IMDB site, How to Survive a Plague received a perfect score of 7.6 out of 10 by 4000 raters.
This documentary taken at the beginning of the widespread HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City, USA. An AIDS activist group, ACT UP, formed and began asking questions about the response of the United States government and medical institutions regarding the development of HIV drugs. This AIDS activist group is also pressuring the FDA to legalize drugs that are effective in slowing down HIV and shorten the clinical trial process for a drug which usually takes 7 to 10 years.
This documentary also explains how many PLWHA more dependent on drugs imported from other countries, because they are effective in slowing the reproduction of the HIV virus even though they are not FDA approved. Through various data sources, archival footage and news coverage, this documentary also provides evidence that the drug AZT is not effective in preventing HIV/AIDS. In fact, in some cases, this drug actually causes blindness and complications.
The film How to Survive a Plague was produced by Public Square Films and Ninety Thousand Words. This film was directed by David France with scriptwriters Tood Woody Richman, David France and Tyler H. Walk.
5. Films About HIV: An Early Frost (1985)
An Early Frost is the first drama film to deal with gay and AIDS themes. This film premiered on the NBC television network on November 11, 1985. According to the IMDB website, this film managed to get a score of 8.1/10 through 2000 votes. The film An Early Frost is the work of director John Erman and writers Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and storyteller Sherman Yellen. The characters in this film are played by Aiden Quinn, Sylvia Sidney, Ben Gazzara and Gena Rowlands. Michael Pierson (Aidann Quiin), a successful lawyer, is said to have a homosexual affair with his girlfriend Peter (DW Moffett).
One day, Michael suffered from a severe cough that sent him to the hospital. Through a hospital examination, Michael found out that he had contracted the HIV virus. Afterwards, he found out that Peter had been having unsafe sexual habits. He also knew that Peter had transmitted the HIV virus to him. Michael gets angry, kicks Peter out. Then he returned to his parents’ house to tell them that he was gay and PLWHA. At first Michael’s family found it difficult to accept this fact. However, gradually they began to learn to accept Michael’s condition. Micheal’s father, Nick (Ben Gazzara) and mother Kate (Gena Rowlands) never stop supporting their son.
