Positive Youth

2012 • 42 minutes

About this movie

HIV+ youth bravely share their stories and battle stigma in this compelling documentary. First identified in the United States in 1981, HIV has become one of the worldís most widespread pandemics. Wrongly labeled a ëgay plagueí in its early days, this non-discriminating virus affects more than 41 million people across the globe, regardless of their sex, orientation or socioeconomic status. The young men and women featured in the film offer a raw, uncensored look into their daily lives: the shock of receiving an HIV diagnosis, positive/negative dating, the truth about medication, and the realization that life is not over and there is a future. Each of the youth in the film feature a dynamic perspective on the reality of living positive and show how even a single person can change the world regardless of their environment. The cast includes a straight 18-year-old First Nations woman, a gay 25-year-old white urbanite, a spiritual 23-year-old African American YouTube activist and a 27-year-old club kid jet-setter. Medical and psychological experts also weigh in to provide up-to-date facts and a historical context to show how dealing with an HIV+ diagnosis has changed.