How to Survive a Plague

Hindsight allows David France's stirring How to Survive a Plague a concise overview's clarity and an epic narrative shape, with a happy ending to boot.
- Dennis Harvey, Variety
Words like 'important' and 'inspiring' tend too often to be meaninglessly attached to non-fiction filmmaking, but in the case of David France's compelling snapshot of a revolutionary period in AIDS treatment, they are amply justified.
- David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

Synopsis

David France’s HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE tells an astounding story of activism and innovation – about AIDS survival, not death – which has been overlooked until this timely documentary. Culled from a massive trove of archival footage, the film is both epic and intimate, tracking a small group of people, most of them HIV-positive, in their nine-year-long battle to save their own lives. They end up saving 6,000,000.

Theatrical Release Date

Monday, October 01, 2012
Original Languages: English
Genre: Documentary
Running Time: 110 min.
Year: 2012

Credits

CAST
Ed Koch
David Barr
Gregg Bordowitz
Bill Bahlman
Peter Staley
DIRECTED BY
David France

PHOTOS

Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Copyright © Donna Binder.
Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Copyright © Donna Binder.
Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Copyright © Donna Binder.
Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Copyright © Donna Binder.
Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Photo by Rick Reinhard .
Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Courtesy of Mongrel Media.
Director David France. Courtesy of Karine Laval.
Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Copyright © Donna Binder.
Scene from HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE. Copyright © Donna Binder.