HIV/AIDS activist movements in movies

• Main Authors: Rafael CLUA GARCÍA, Lourdes MESTRES i CAMPS, Rosa de DIOS SÁNCHEZ, Roser TERRADAS ROBLEDO
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca 2020-07-01
• Series: Revista de Medicina y Cine / Journal of Medicine and Movies
• Subjects: sida; activismo político; investigación cualitativa; estigma social; docencia
• Online Access: https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/medicina_y_cine/article/view/22617

<p>Early 80´s the emergence of VIH generated popular fear coupled with discrimination and stigmatization for patients. In this context, HIV / AIDS activist movements emerged to establish and protect patients´ rights and foster the development of effective and affordable treatments. While three decades of related movie production depicts and described in length the role activists’ movements, academic research has been slow in addressing this question. More specifically, the role of citizen participation in the fight against HIV / AIDS through filmmaking is unknown. This article covers this gap by analysing the following movies about HIV / AIDS activist movements: How to survive a plague, Larry Kramer In Love and Anger, The Normal Heart, 120 battements par minute y Dallas Buyers Club. These movies show the struggle of Activist movements in encouraging national governments, pharmaceutical companies, and HIV / AIDS workers to fight against HIV / AIDS. We conclude by suggesting objectives to foster current debates about HIV / AIDS in medical and social sciences, more specifically the strategy of civil society to advance research, self-care, and HIV / AIDS treatments.</p><p> </p>