Bangkok--Nov 22--Francom Asia
Renowned filmmaker Sorious Samura’s powerful documentary reveals the horrifying backdrop to the spread of HIV in Africa
Airtimes: Wednesday, November 30 at 21.00
Thursday, December 1 (World AIDS Day) at 01.00 and 21.00
Saturday, December 3 at 19.00
Sunday, December 4 at 12.00 and 20.00
Award-winning African filmmaker-journalist Sorious Samura travels to Mongu, Zambia to find out how AIDS is destroying Africa and what Africans are doing to cope with its merciless impact on day to day life. Living with a family beset by AIDS, and working in the region’s largest hospital for four weeks, Samura discovers that the complex African culture is exacerbating the spread of the disease and its social toll. Through conversations with hospital patients, wives and mothers, party-goers and sex workers, Samura uncovers the shocking truth behind the rate of infection amongst the young, procreating generation: recklessness towards knowingly infecting sexual partners, a disdain for using condoms for personal protection, and an ingrained reticence to educating offspring about safe sexual relations.
“I’ve been charged with potential disloyalty by my fellow Africans in exposing their attitudes to their ‘private’ lives,” Samura explains, “and I tell them that it is only by recognising and accepting the true reality of what is happening that we can begin to address ways of controlling this crippling epidemic,” comments Samura about the international premiere of his work.
Dr. Catherine Sozi, Country Coordinator of UNAIDS in Zambia says, "This documentary reveals the hardships brought on by HIV, contrasted with the day to day life taken for granted in so many parts of the world. Life’s challenges take on another meaning in this film, yet people still care for each other and the smiles still come through the tears. Twenty years into the epidemic we are seeing some solutions but it’s not nearly enough yet."
“LIVING WITH AIDS has the kind of editorial value and educational impact that work side by side as a vital piece of journalism that heeds the responsibility of CNN and other news networks to bring such important issues to the fore,” says Rena Golden, Senior Vice President CNN International. “CNN is pleased to be a part of the awareness drive,” adds Golden.
Samura speaks frankly about living conditions and their impact on children’s understanding of intimate relations. “Parents need their own bedrooms. We all know that children model their behaviour on their parents. Exposure to adult intimacy means some girls are losing their virginity as early as six years old.” ‘LIVING WITH AIDS’ is a wake up call to populations across Africa. In the week surrounding World Aids Day, December 1, it will be seen internationally on CNN by a potential audience of more than 186 million television households and hotel rooms, whom Samura is hoping will be uncomfortable with what it sees. “The global premiere of my documentary is an important opportunity to communicate to a wide audience how easily HIV can be spread, and to gain international recognition of the sensitive issues involved,” says Samura. “This is crucial to changing the statistics in the fight against AIDS,” he adds.
More on the Documentary
Lewanika General Hospital in Zambia serves a population of 200,000 and has just 273 beds. The statistics in Zambia are startling: AIDS kills more than 240 people each day and the life expectancy is roughly 35 years. Not every patient at Lewanika Hospital is HIV positive, and most patients decline the hospital’s free HIV test because of the stigma surrounding the disease. However, the executive director of Lewanika General suggests that 60 to 70% of their patients have underlying HIV/AIDS.
Samura’s first job in the hospital is in the male ward, where most of the patients are in the last stages of AIDS. During his rounds, Samura talks to one of the patients, Kenny, who is HIV positive and has been in and out of the hospital for six months. Kenny’s candidness about preferring “flesh to flesh” to “plastic” when it comes to sex alarms Samura. Kenny tells Samura that his father had 23 children by eight mothers. Samura realises that unrestricted sexual behaviour and utter disregard for consequences go hand in hand.
Samura goes to Mongu’s only night club to talk to young people about AIDS on a night when Zambia’s biggest condom manufacturer is holding a safe sex promotion by handing out condoms and T-shirts. In one conversation a young man says he doesn’t use condoms because he doesn’t “trust” them and admits to sleeping with several girls without using protection. Samura then speaks to two female sex workers who say that using a condom is “more cheap” and brush off the consequences of having unprotected sex.
His final conversation is with Joshua and Lawson, who are regulars at another drinking venue. Joshua tells Samura that he is HIV positive, so he has no reason to use a condom because he is already dying. Samura realises Joshua wants to take people with him rather than save them from a death sentence. These disturbing conversations upset Samura more so than the death that surrounds him during his shifts at the hospital. He now sees that ‘LIVING WITH AIDS’ in Africa means being “stripped of all respect for yourself and others. Where all hope is destroyed.”
The remainder of Samura’s time in the hospital is spent in the children’s ward. They are suffering the consequences of their parents and of their culture; and Samura has seen enough. In his 28 days on the job, 80 people have died — almost three per day.
“It’s up to us Africans on the frontline to do whatever is necessary to wage war against this horrible disease, starting with accepting the unpalatable truth about the impact of our cultural heritage,” Samura stresses.
CNN PRESENTS is CNN International’s award-winning documentary series, showcasing compelling work of significant impact from esteemed filmmakers. ‘LIVING WITH AIDS’ is the sixth Samura Insight TV News documentary to be aired around the world on CNN. Previous broadcasts include ‘Cry Freetown’, ‘Return to Freetown’, ‘Exodus from Africa’, ‘Living with Hunger’ and ‘Living with Refugees’.
LIVING WITH AIDS premieres international on CNN on November 30.
For transcript, images, mpeg, program copy, interview requests with Sorious Samura, please contact: Nuttaporn Tangwongsan [email protected] 02 233 4338-9
For more information please contact:
Nuttaporn Tangwongsan
Francom Asia Ltd.
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