New Short AIDS Film "Surviving Voices"

The National AIDS Memorial has released Surviving Voices Mini-Documentary "Substance Users, the Recovery Community & AIDS". The documentary focuses on the stories of people living with HIV overcoming addiction, fear, stigma & their triumphs, resilience & hopes featuring the voices of both AIDS survivors & advocates. The film tells the story of AIDS through the voices of survivors of the pandemic now in its 40th year. More than 700,000 U.S. lives have been lost since the first cases of AIDS were first reported in 1981. Today more than 1.2 million people are living with HIV with a disproportionate impact in communities of color & in southern U.S. states. Surviving Voices is screenings at several film festivals including Frameline45 & SF Queer Film Fest. John Cunningham National AIDS Memorial Chief Executive stated, "The National AIDS Memorial is honored to have our Surviving Voices mini-documentary featured at these influential film festivals. It speaks to the important work our organization is doing to share these powerful personal stories of hope, resilience & the journey of survivors around the issue of HIV/AIDS & addiction in an authentic and powerful way." The National AIDS Memorial's Surviving Voices mini-documentaries is produced & directed by Jörg Fockele & funded through a grant by Chevron a long-standing partner of the National AIDS Memorial. Community partners include the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, The Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Network, Stonewall Project & the Castro Country Club. Jörg Fockele concluded, "I hope that these mini-documentaries will be as inspiring for current & future generations confronting their own challenges as they were for us when we filmed them." For More Info…