Year: 2012
Director: David France
Country: US
Language: English
The decade of the 2010's seem to be a rise of the documentary genre. In 2011 we saw great documentaries like Project Nim, The Redemption of General Butt Naked, Tabloid and Werner Herzog's Into the Abyss. This year we have witnessed the emergence of fascinating documentaries like 5 Broken Cameras, Pink Ribbons Inc, This is Not a Film and my personal favourite film of this year Whores' Glory. How to Survive a Plague is another heartfelt example of how documentaries are beginning to dominate.
This incredible documentary charts the AIDS crisis from its volatile beginning where there was very little knowledge about the subject, it was often regarded as the "gay disease". AIDS was a very controversial topic when it surfaced, politicians would refuse to talk about it in fear of those jobs and some hospitals would refuse to treat the people who had it. The film also shows the plights of AIDS activists and scientists that helped us get to where we are today in terms of knowledge, research and treatment of the disease.
How to Survive A Plague is a rarity of sorts. It is a heartfelt documentary about a great struggle and a tremendous fight between the people and the media/government. When watching this film you get a sense of revolution, of an eruption within society that cannot be contained. People are angry, people are dying and yet they are easily dismissed and tossed aside due to "inconvenience". It's a story about a war and it's not just gay rights that were on the line, but overall human rights as well.
This film has its sad moments, it is painful to see innocent people suffer because of other's ignorance, Yet the more you watch this informative and gripping film, the more you're inspired to help people. The film is very effective in changing your views about AIDS and enticing you to be involved in finding the cure. The interviews and archival footage make this quite riveting. Though the journey may be incredibly depressing at times, it obviously ends on a high note as AIDS is no longer a death sentence.
In conclusion, How to Survive a Plague is one of the best films of this decade and one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It thoroughly engages its audience and draws them into a deeply political world,. It is incredibly informative, yet does not reveal too much information all at once. Thought provoking and amazingly powerful. Praise it! 5/5
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