How to Survive a Plague (2012, documentary) - The HIV/AIDS film you must see

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A simple but powerful graphic of people standing together against an overwhelming darkness makes up this poster for David France's How to Survive a Plague

The AIDS epidemic begins to eradicate especially homosexuals in the 1980s, and in the US Greenwich Village, New York is an epicenter. Against the foot-dragging of the authorities and the apathy of the surrounding society, activist groups ACT UP and TAG rebel and become experts on the field.

How to Survive a Plague is written by Woody Richman (This American Journey (2013)), Tyler H. Walk (Great Photo, Lovely Life (2023)) and debuting co-writer/director, American master filmmaker David France (How to Survive a Pandemic (2022).

One might presume to know a great deal about HIV/AIDS, - and perhaps one really does so, - but France's documentary still makes this critical, long period, the key actors and those who lost their lives acute reality and so perceptible that it surpasses all other attempts to portray the HIV/AIDS tragedy on screen that I know of. The anger, the protest, - both the seriously eloquent and the polemical and despairing, - and the groups' actions are overwhelming, and especially one event in front of the White House captured here is overpowering. 

How to Survive a Plague is a colossally good and important film, definitely among the year's best.

 

Watch an hour-long video in which France talks about the book follow-up to the documentary that he published in 2016

 

Cost: Unknown
Box office: 132k $ (North America only)

= Uncertain

[How to Survive a Plague premiered 22 January (Sundance Film Festival) and runs 109 minutes. France reportedly went through 700 hours of footage to compile the film. It opened #62 to a 28k $ first weekend in 4 theaters in North America, where it never attained a higher position despite broadening to 14 theaters, grossing 132k $. The film was also released in the UK, Ireland and in Argentina, but the gross numbers are regrettably not available online. The film was nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar, lost to Searching for Sugar Man. It was also nominated for an Independent Spirit award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to a notch under this one. France returned with Independent Lens (2013, TV-series) and theatrically with The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017, documentary). How to Survive a Plague is certified fresh at 98 % with an 8.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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