Faith Prevention and Suffering
I viewed the final version of my 28:30 documentary on HIV/AIDS and Christianity in America on Friday. Everyone had very positive reactions to it. Especially the people who are in it. Two of the subjects, Joy and Reed, came to the screening at Medill and loved it. Joy took like 3 copies and wants 5 more. And Reed called me to ask for 3 more. I have to mail it out to so many people. I think they’ll be glad to get it from me. That can include anyone reading this. I’ll gladly mail you a copy if you tell me your address.
Basically I videotaped four Chicago AIDS activists sitting around a table and playing a children’s board game called "What About AIDS?" The questions are at times simplistic, but the answers draw an interesting narrative. And it easily provides a framework for the film. The four players are all HIV positive and Christian. The picture is divided into four segments, three of which begin with the game. The documentary deals with universal themes such as faith, prevention and suffering as the title suggests.
It’s very important for me to say that I cannot actually imagine what it is like to live with this disease. So I tried to put it in their terms. Cause there’s just too much dying and sickness from it.
In fact, the second question in the film from the game is, "What does dying mean?" Although their answers are very spiritual, it creates an easy segway into the number of people this disease infects and affects. There’s more than 40 million people living with it and 20 million have died since 1981. (the same year I was born and the same year Joy contracted it)
My second segment, possibly the best one, deals with abstinence-only programs and comprehensive sex ed. And while I think it creates a good debate, it’s probably more important to eliminate the conditions under which people are more likely to contract the disease. Regardless, most churches and church leaders cannot talk about human sexuality. And many churches turn people away through harsh words and discrimination. "Indeed, stigma is the other, or co-pandemic."
The third part is the most emotional. Two men tell two stories about how they found out they were HIV positive. My eyes were swelling just about every time I watched the full un-edited story from Darrin. The point I’m trying to make in this part is not so apparent, so I hope it is thought provoking for the viewer.
Thanks for reading this far. Maybe you want to see it? Well, the final segment really tries to speak to why we need to help all these people who are suffering. And it’s all about trying to welcome everyone to the table. I won’t tell the ending, but it’s pretty cool.
I’m so thankful to all the people who I interviewed. I’m also thankful to everyone who helped with this project, especially the tech guys. The graphics look great and very professional. They also helped with the tedious process of burning 100 dvds. (which I’m not done yet) I can’t believe I finished it!
Now I have to make a resume tape. It was actually the most important impetus for going to grad school. Cause, well, I’m going to need a job. But I’ll let you know how Egypt works out.
UPDATE:
The documentary is available on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-VHMFhD1qI
Basically I videotaped four Chicago AIDS activists sitting around a table and playing a children’s board game called "What About AIDS?" The questions are at times simplistic, but the answers draw an interesting narrative. And it easily provides a framework for the film. The four players are all HIV positive and Christian. The picture is divided into four segments, three of which begin with the game. The documentary deals with universal themes such as faith, prevention and suffering as the title suggests.
It’s very important for me to say that I cannot actually imagine what it is like to live with this disease. So I tried to put it in their terms. Cause there’s just too much dying and sickness from it.
In fact, the second question in the film from the game is, "What does dying mean?" Although their answers are very spiritual, it creates an easy segway into the number of people this disease infects and affects. There’s more than 40 million people living with it and 20 million have died since 1981. (the same year I was born and the same year Joy contracted it)
My second segment, possibly the best one, deals with abstinence-only programs and comprehensive sex ed. And while I think it creates a good debate, it’s probably more important to eliminate the conditions under which people are more likely to contract the disease. Regardless, most churches and church leaders cannot talk about human sexuality. And many churches turn people away through harsh words and discrimination. "Indeed, stigma is the other, or co-pandemic."
The third part is the most emotional. Two men tell two stories about how they found out they were HIV positive. My eyes were swelling just about every time I watched the full un-edited story from Darrin. The point I’m trying to make in this part is not so apparent, so I hope it is thought provoking for the viewer.
Thanks for reading this far. Maybe you want to see it? Well, the final segment really tries to speak to why we need to help all these people who are suffering. And it’s all about trying to welcome everyone to the table. I won’t tell the ending, but it’s pretty cool.
I’m so thankful to all the people who I interviewed. I’m also thankful to everyone who helped with this project, especially the tech guys. The graphics look great and very professional. They also helped with the tedious process of burning 100 dvds. (which I’m not done yet) I can’t believe I finished it!
Now I have to make a resume tape. It was actually the most important impetus for going to grad school. Cause, well, I’m going to need a job. But I’ll let you know how Egypt works out.
UPDATE:
The documentary is available on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-VHMFhD1qI
Labels: AIDS, Christianity, Faith, HIV, Prevention, Suffering
posted by Andrew Bossone at
1:58 AM
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