Fight, get angry or give up

On January 23, the film "So close to the horizon" is released in Russian rental - about lovers, one of which was found by HIV. There are not so many films dedicated to this topic, but despite this, the image of people with HIV in cinema managed to form stereotypes and prejudices. "Such cases" asked experts to explain why this is happening, and choose the best examples of HIV-Kino

According to Unaids, in 2019, in terms of growth rates, HIV Russia took fourth place in the world, second only to South Africa, Nigeria and Mozambique. Today in Russia, only according to official figures,1.2% of the adult population aged 15 to 49 years of HIV - in fact, this figure is greater, since many people do not know that they are carriers of the virus. Experts have long been talking about an HIV epidemic in Russia.

But this problem is dangerous not only because of its scale, but also because of public prejudices. Many are still afraid of the word HIV and believe in myths associated with this diagnosis. That the virus is transmitted through a handshake or kiss. That only people from the so -called risk groups infect them, and “decent heterosexual” people are protected from him. We are convinced that HIV is not only ashamed and dirty, but also deadly. In fact, everything is wrong.

Virus

HIV is transmitted with unprotected penetrating sexual contact, directly through the blood (in case of injection and use of non -sterile equipment for tattoos and piercing) and from the mother (during pregnancy, childbirth and when breastfeeding). Airborne droplets, through hugs or using joint items, the virus is never transmitted.

Everyone can become infected with HIV, regardless of gender, age, nationality, sexual orientation, financial situation or social status. Experts have long been saying that there are no “risk groups”, and there are risky actions that absolutely anyone can perform.

But today, antiretroviral therapy is used around the world, that is, drugs that block the propagation of the virus in the human body. In people with HIV, regularly taking therapy (as a rule, three or four tablets per day, and in the most modified form-only one), tests over time show an indefinite viral load. This means that although the virus itself is not killed in the body, it is inactive and cannot transmit to another person even in case of unprotected contact. And a person who regularly takes therapy can live an ordinary life.

No need to confuse HIV with AIDS. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a slowly progressive infectious disease. Having infected HIV, a person may not suspect this for several years, because the virus does not appear for a long time. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a serious condition that is caused in a person with a long course of HIV infection. It is accompanied by systemic and irreversible lesions of the body that lead to death. It is believed that from the moment the virus penetrates the body until the AIDS stage reaches an average of five to 15 years - if a person has not begun treatment. People who regularly take antiretroviral therapy do not get AIDS.

Frame from the movie "So Close to the Horizon" Photo: Bernd Spauke/Pantaleon Films GmbH/Film Company Volga

Moreover, the pre-final prevention of HIV, or Prep, has already been invented, and experienced obstetrician-gynecologists can lead to pregnancy and take birth so that healthy children are born in parents with HIV.

But if medicine and science are able to successfully neutralize and even prevent the virus, then public prejudices not only did not disappear, but, judging by the growth rate of the HIV epidemic in Russia, only root.

“In relation to children born and living with HIV, discrimination is often applied,” Svetlana Izambaeva, the head of the charity foundation of Svetlana Izambaeva (assistance to women and children with HIV), gives an example. - On support groups for teenagers, I often hear how the guys complain that the teachers, telling about HIV, say: “Yes, they are drug addicts!”, “Fear them!” And at this time, a teenager with HIV himself cannot protect himself in the classroom, because he is afraid. ”

Therefore, it is so important to talk about HIV, and the attitude towards it can and should be changed . One of the main tools that allows you to do this is a movie, but what is HIV presented in it and how is it dangerous?

Stereotypes

“Since the earliest movie about HIV, his heroes have been depicted by sinners, for whom the virus turned out to be a punishment from above,” explains Egor Belikov, editor of the magazine “Cinema Art” and film critic. “ A classic example of such cruel and wrong in meaning (incorrectly representing HIV-positive people only as libertines-everyone can become infected) Relations of filmmakers to characters-the biographical picture“ Jia ”about the famous supermodel of the heroine chic and lesbian Jia Karangi with Angeli Jolie.”

According to him, Russian HIV-Kino uses the same stamps: for example, in the series "Call DiCaprio!" The diagnosis of HIV for the protagonist, a selfish stained actor, becomes a kind of sentence, even if he dies not from this.

“There are more sad cases when people with HIV become villains in films that spread the virus and even sometimes make it a kind of weapon. In the film “Thank you, Life”, one of the heroines was deliberately infected by a doctor, hero of Gerard Depardieu. On the other hand, the diagnosis of HIV infection or AIDS often makes film records altruists. Or, in any case, bold people who are fighting for their and other people's right to life contrary to public silent prejudice. In one of the best HIV films of all time, “Philadelphia”, the protagonist proves through the court that he was fired for the disease. The same thing happened, for example, in the "Dallas Club of Buyers". "

Finally, there is an option when a person with HIV simply does not have the strength to save or infect someone, Yegor Belikov notes: “These are often the most touching films-about family misunderstanding (“ this is just the end of the world ”of Xavier Dulana), about love through the year (“ watch ”Doldri), about life in art (one of Bernardo Bertravchi’s“ elusive beauty ”.

The choice of Yegor Belikova:

Philadelphia (Philadelphia, 1993, director Jonathan Demmy)

Frame from the movie "Philadelphia" Photo: Tristar Pictures/Everett Collection/East News

“Philadelphia is the first American (all HIV-Kino appeared and grew in the USA) mainstream drama. In the sense that the studio, with two Oscar figurines - about HIV, where the genesis of the death of the protagonist is not the main motive. Yes, this picture probably played a decisive role in informing the population about HIV and AIDS in the 1990s. But the heroes, including a protagonist dying of AIDS, is worth guaranteeing himself not only the right to life, but also other rights, for example, workers. This is a film about the first attempt by HIV-core (and LGBT community) to achieve recognition by society as a minority, which at the same time cannot be infringed on the basis of this minority. ”

"GIA" (GIA, 1998, director Michael Christopher)

Frame from the movie "Jia" Photo: HBO/Everett Collection/East News

“This is a loud picture, despite the fact that it initially starred for television, and not for wide rental. She became one initially thanks to frank scenes with Angelina Jolie, but in general this film can be considered a turning point in the unfinished and not rich in the events of HIV-kinematographer. For the first time, with evil rock in the form of HIV-Virus, filmmakers “reward” not without a permanent sexual partner, but a lesbian. Today, “Jia” is important as a stage picture in issues of representing risk groups of HIV. ”

"Behind the Candelabra, 2013, director Stephen Sodelberg)

Frame from the movie "For Candeles" Photo: Claudette Barius/HBO/AP/EAST News

“HIV, as a plot technique, is almost the first to apply not as a scenario punishment of heaven for numerous sins, but as a symptom of the era, which goes along with the main character, the famous pianist of the 1970s liberache, whose star life is logically ending in the finale. Let the hero of Michael Douglas, like a madman, waste the gigantic money earned on ridiculous performances, Soderberg emphasizes that he did happier than so many spectators and his death from AIDS - a great tragedy for the whole country. ”

The choice of Svetlana Izambaeva:

"Medicine" (The Cure, 1995, director Peter Horton)

Frame from the movie "Medicine" Photo: MCA Universal/Everett Collection/East News

“I really like this film about real friendship among teenagers, one of whom lives with HIV. Today, the social situation with HIV remains at the same level of development as in the year of the creation of this film, that is, almost 25 years ago! Until now, people with HIV are killing not that they are not treated, but that they are ashamed. The hero of the film Derek was looking for a medicine that was not yet. And now it is, but people continue to be afraid and do not take therapy or do it irregularly. But we were lucky - we do not live in the era of the creation of this film, but at a time when HIV turned simply into a chronic disease, quite controlled and, most importantly, in treatment indescribable to another person. ”

Philadelphia (Philadelphia, 1993, director Jonathan Demmy)

“This is the second most important film about HIV. Because the protagonist has an internal force that helps him overcome Stigma. Many of our HIV-positive people, unfortunately, have no strength to boldly talk about themselves, defend and defend their interests and rights. Moreover, their inner stigma is so strong that they do everything, if only no one knew about their illness, up to the point that they themselves begin to deny its presence. Because of HIV-dissidents, people are not treated and die. The hero, on the contrary, protects himself, and this is dignifiedly praise. We need more heroes such as Andrew Backett. ”

"Dallas Buyers" (Dallas Buyers Club, 2013, director Jean-Mark Valle)

Frame from the movie "Dallas Club of Buyers" Photo: Capital Pictures/East News

“I like the hero’s desire to live and be treated. The theme of the system and the state is well shown. And the doctor who went to defend the patient's rights is everything like in life. There are people who will hold on to their workplace and be silent, but there are those who will do something for the sake and in the name of people and be on the side of the patients. At the moment, in Russia, not all people with HIV are treated, and not all regions have yet switched to treat everyone from the moment of registration. But we are moving towards this. The faster in every city in Russia they begin to treat all patients, the faster we will be able to learn how to control the epidemic. In general, I recommend this film to watch all people with HIV. ”